Darkness Came First
by CindyBarnard
Summary: (ON HIATUS - Muse Issues...) Dark Hermione-DMHG. Follow Hermione as a half-blood that's sorted into Slytherin. Prejudice is rife and soon the truth of her paternal family is revealed. Then the only sun in her life is killed, Hermione vows vengeance. Always she has been accused as a no-good Slytherin, well she will show them how bad Hermione Granger can be.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Please heed the audience rating 'M.' This story will be dark and will have explicit content. I won't be giving chapter trigger warnings; so be warned, they might appear at any time. Content may include: sexual scenes/murder/blood/non-con/death._

 _This story will feature an irredeemable Dark Hermione. I will try to keep to canon character traits as much as possible, but due to the nature of the fic, some OOCness will be unavoidable. And as always, if you don't like, then don't read; but constructive criticism is always welcome!_

 _Enjoy!_

 _Awesome thanks for all the hard work and input of my new Beta. You are amazing Ladyofsilverdawn_

 _ **Chapter One**_

Flowers. Hermione's earliest memories were of vases filled with: white flowers, yellow flowers - Poppies, daisies, Pansies. Her mother's tinkling, light laughter that was always joyful and happy which was another of her earliest memories.

Their home was small, only a two bedroom cottage with a small living area, a bathroom, and a kitchen; but they did have a large yard. The yard was her favourite area, soft green grass and, of course, flowers! She spent so many days outside lying on the grass while her mother would read her stories, and once she grew older, she would read outside by herself.

Hermione was a happy child without a care in the world.

DMHG

One sunny afternoon, Hermione was sat on her favourite spot under her favourite tree, reading every word of her new copy of _Hogwarts: A History,_ when her mother silently took a seat next to her. Glancing up, Hermione was surprised to see her mother looking drawn and tense. She frowned in confusion, after all, her sunny mother never looked sad or solemn; it was like having snow during the summer. It just didn't happen.

"Mum?" Hermione uncertainly closed her book while looking at her mother.

Staring at her clasped hands, Jean Granger finally locked eyes onto those of her daughter, giving Hermione a half-hearted smile.

"Hermione sweetheart, there is something we need to discuss before you leave for school tomorrow." She kept the smile on her face as she tucked one of the wayward curls of her daughter's hair behind an ear, Hermione's wild hair never ceasing to amuse her, it's so unlike her own.

Jean's hair was light blonde, just a shade lighter than straw and pin straight; her eyes the lightest shade of blue and her skin the fairest white, like porcelain. She was the epitome of the delicate English rose, while Hermione inherited only her small stature and delicate bone structure, as well as her wit. Everything else Hermione inherited was from her father. Yet Jean never spoke of him. There were no photographs or anything to indicate he had ever been in their life.

Hermione recalled three years ago when one afternoon after she had come home from primary school she asked about her father. Her mother had smiled and said he had made her heart sing and that, before she left for Hogwarts, she would tell her more. Hermione wondered if this would be that discussion?

"Sweetheart, you are a smart girl, so I need to prepare you for certain things; otherwise, you will find out in other ways I'd rather you not." Her mother took a deep breath, steeling herself for this discussion.

Hermione remained quiet, somehow knowing she only needed to listen.

"There is a reason why we live in the muggle world," Jean resumed, "why I became a dentist and why I insisted you attend Muggle schools. Why I never took you into the Wizarding society." Jean eyed her earnestly as she spoke. "I never kept the knowledge of magic from you as you know." She stopped speaking, her smile widening, once again tucking the same wayward curl away from Hermione's face. "You see, when I became pregnant with you it was during war, and it was a dangerous time to be a Muggle-born witch like me. It was even more dangerous for me because I was sympathetic to the cause of the Dark Lord, not because of the ideals he sprouted, but because of who your father was. I also strongly disagreed with the agenda of the Ministry." Jean's eyes took on a glazed look as she stared off in the distance

For the first time in Hermione's life, she felt dread settle into her stomach. She knew of the war, of course, reading about it over the years. Since her mother never spoke of it, Hermione thought it must have been because it was too painful an experience to speak about.

"Your father… he's the reason for this discussion, and you look so much like him... You see sweetheart, as I'm sure you already know, there are magical families that are very prominent called the Sacred Twenty-Eight. They are the oldest and purest of magical families in England, and there are certain inherent genetic traits that each family has. No matter what, those traits will manifest in children within those families. It's usually in eye or hair colour, or even both."

Hermione caught her breath, knowing where this discussion was leading.

"Now in your case it is both. The Fawley family traits are brown curly hair and brown eyes, even your freckles are part of the Fawley traits." Jean spoke so quietly Hermione could barely make her words out.

"Mum," she said with awe, "are you saying that my father was a pure-blood?" Jean replied solemnly to her question. "Not was. Is. Your father is Xavier Fawley, and he is still very much alive and active in the Wizarding community—along with your brother." Hermione squealed in surprise "Brother? I have a brother!" her high-pitched exclamation heard throughout the garden. She felt excited, sad, and angry, especially angry. She had always been quick to anger, her temper vicious.

"Half-brother, technically. He'll be in his third year." Jean corrected automatically before continuing.

"Hermione… your father was handsome, charming, beyond clever—but also forbidden. He was married when we were together. I was young and foolish...but so in love." Jean looked into the horizon as a single tear slipped from out of the corner of her eye, memories consuming her.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione regained control of her rising anger. "Mum?"

Jean looked at her daughter, noting the flash of her rising temper in her eyes. " And then I found out I was expecting you. I couldn't tell him; the things they did were not good things. The raids and revels of muggles and muggle-borns were horrific... I had to run away with you." A shudder ran through Jean as some long buried memories resurfaced.

"With the Ministry's and Muggle Prime Minister's help, we integrated into Muggle society, safely hiding you all these years. But once you are at Hogwarts the people might be hard on you, you make sure to tell everyone you are a half-blood alright Hermione, use that card because it is a smart card. If they think you are muggleborn it might possibly get very difficult with those old families; lots of them are still prejudiced."

"Also," another wry smile ghosted Jean's features, and she once _again_ tucked that errant curl of her daughter's hair behind an ear. "you look like a younger clone of your brother. Those Fawley traits…" Jean trailed off with a slight shake of her head. "

Hermione was screaming and kicking on the inside. Her father was alive. She had a brother. But looking at her mother's worried face, she didn't want to add to her mum's fear. So instead, Hermione hugged her, closing her eyes against the stark, bright day. The smell of all the fragrant flowers wafted into her nostrils, and she couldn't help but take a shuddering breath. She knew her life would forever be different.

DMHG

The sounds that met Hermione's ears as she and her mother walked along the platform at King's Cross station were overwhelming. People were bustling around, pushing and shoving. Hermione scowled when a messy-raven-haired boy jogged by with a trolley bearing a trunk and a caged snowy owl. He almost ran over her and Jean, who was also pushing a trolley. Without one word of apology, the bespectacled boy just continued on his frantic journey. A Wizard _obviously_ she mused.

"Here we are sweetheart," Jean sing-songed over the noise of the crowd. "Now, as I explained to you earlier, just walk straight on through." Jean smiled at Hermione, gesturing at the bricked wall ahead of them.

Her heart pounding with excitement, Hermione nodded, and then with a deep calming breath, she purposely walked towards the wall. Once she was close enough she could place a kiss upon a red brick, she held her breath and stepped through, Jean following after.

As she walked forward alongside Jean, Hermione's eyes widened in awe, taking in the platform. An impressive scarlet steam engine that read Hogwarts Express' billowed out steam in readiness for departure. All around robed witches and wizards hustled, some with purple pointy hats and others with green bowling hats. Robes of royal blue and even mousy brown; owls hooted and rats scuffled in cages while children of all ages chattered and whined

Her mother chuckled. "Impressive, isn't it."

Hermione came to a halt next to Jean and grinned at her mother. Excitement thrummed through her body, and she could barely wait to get to Hogwarts, make friends, and learn. While attending primary school, she never had friends due to being termed 'odd.' But she just knew she would finally make friends, since she would be with people that were the same 'odd' as her.

"It's so wonderful, Mum; I can hardly wait!"

Jean's twinkling laughter sounded up once more, and she kissed Hermione's forehead while tucking her hair back. "Oh, it is. You will love being at Hogwarts, sweetheart."

Just then someone bumped into Hermione which caused her to stumble into Jean's side. Swivelling around, her quick temper flaring, Hermione only saw the backs of a whole brood of red-headed individuals. They all seemed poor and shabby, but that didn't bother Hermione; the thing that caught her attention was that they were loud. The mother of the lot had a high shrill voice that carried as she reprimanded the unruly group. Hermione narrowed her eyes in irritation. _She_ would never be so misbehaved; _she_ had manners.

"Don't be bothered," Jean spoke gently. "Those are the Weasleys. You shouldn't have problems with them as they are very accepting. Although, they can be a bit trying."

Hermione huffed and crossed her arms. "Well, they're being inconsiderate. It's rude to not watch where one is going and to talk so loud others are privy to your family discussions." Her voice was condescending as she kept her arms firmly crossed.

Jean chuckled, Hermione had such a passionate personality, alway campaigning for what she believed in. Jean had no doubt that whatever life Hermione chose that she would follow that path with absolute commitment.

"Now, let's get your luggage on-board shall we?"

With that, Jean proceeded to help Hermione load her luggage from the trolley into one of the compartments. She kept up her bright chatter as she helped Hermione with her trunk in order to hide her own nervousness of the trials she knew her daughter would most likely face. Jean could only content herself with the fact that Hermione was a bright, intelligent girl, who now knew the truth; so at least, nothing would come as a shock.

The train gave a warning whistle to board. It was time to say good bye. "Mum…" Hermione stood, trying to hide that she was, in fact, afraid of the daunting change in front of her. She was afraid on the one side of being without her mother. Her mum would be alone now and she wouldn't be there to keep her company and to help her. And what if Hermione needed her mother? Who would light up her day if she was tired?

Jean bent forward and enveloped Hermione in a great hug, burying her face into Hermione's wild curls. "Don't be afraid… You are so bright; you will do wonderfully in Hogwarts. Just remember what we spoke about yesterday." She pulled back, keeping her hands on Hermione's' shoulders, a bright yet strained smile on Jean's mouth.

Hermione smiled through her silent tears. This would be the first time ever she would be away from her mother for a prolonged period of time, and it scared her. But she wouldn't be weak. She had a plan, after all, and that meant she had to go to Hogwarts and earn the best grades possible.

"Goodbye, mum. I love you, and I'll miss you so much." Hermione hugged her mother a last time before scrambling onto the train, her mother's own "I love you sweetheart" following her.

As the train pulled away, Hermione hung from a window and waved to her mother; both blowing kisses at each other amidst the loud yelling and waving from all the other students and their families.

Jean Granger stood on the platform for a long time after it emptied With a heavy sigh, she turned around and left the platform with a pop of apparition. There was nothing she could do to eliminate the feeling of impending doom she had been feeling for months now.

[Last Edit]


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2_**

The journey to Hogwarts was uneventful, Hermione spent most of her time marching the corridors and assisting various other first years. They were acting very immature by running around the corridors and acting for all intents as if they were the offspring from predominantly chav families. It was very annoying to the young witch who prided herself on manners and etiquette. She had met Harry Potter, though, he had turned out to be the raven-haired boy that had almost run her over at the station. Her opinion was still mellow on him as she thought he seemed to let that Weasley boy take charge in matters, and the Weasley boy left much to be desired. He even had dirt on his nose! Why didn't he at least wash his face?

The only other thing of consequence was that she met at least one boy that had seeming manners, he was a pale boy with a pointed face, but obviously came from a well-educated family with exceptional etiquette. They had spent a pleasurable hour discussing all matters of Hogwarts; he had also read _Hogwarts a History_ to her particular delight. But he left her then to stroll the train with his other two friends, she didn't particularly like them yet as they seemed rather brutish.

The journey in the boats was particularly nerve wracking as the tiny boats seemed generally unstable, what made it worse was that Hermione ended up with that Weasley boy again. The other boats were full and she was forced to join him and Harry Potter along with the Longbottom boy whom she had assisted earlier. She would have joined her new friend Draco Malfoy along with his two friends but just as he nodded her over another boy had climbed into their boat to both her and seemingly Draco's consternation if the sneer on his face was any indication. The journey had been silent thankfully, they were all too awed at the castle looming ahead of them, Hermione found herself genuinely speechless with the pure magnificence of the sight of the grand castle. They followed the Keeper of Keys and Grounds where he knocked on the door leading from the rocky harbour beneath the castle where they had docked still in awed silence. Hermione had fallen back to walk next to her new friend Draco, they didn't say anything though; his two brutish friends flanked them automatically in the silence. Finally, the door was opened and a strict looking witch with rectangle glasses opened up and welcomed them to the castle.

After her speech she left them for a few minutes and whispering started up, Hermione watched amused as everyone shuffled in an attempt to neaten themselves, she knew her hair was its usual mess, but couldn't do anything about it without her mother's assisting magic. She couldn't wait when she came of age to be able to tame her hair at will. Otherwise, she knew she was clean and neat and there wasn't anything for her to do.

"I'll be in Slytherin of course. Where do you think you will be Hermione?" Draco asked her in his articulated voice, the smug pride at his mention of Slytherin not contained at all. Hermione wanted to roll her eyes at the boy who she knew held a very haughty pride for his family status. He didn't know her blood status yet and she momentarily wondered if it would be an issue for him.

"I don't really know… my mother was in Hufflepuff but she told me the hat wanted to place her in Ravenclaw… I don't see myself as Hufflepuff though. Gryffindor is great according to my research. As for Slytherin, it is a good house as well. I'm thinking Ravenclaw will most likely be where I will be placed." She finished off while worrying her lip thoughtfully, Draco looked at her intently as she tried to avoid his gaze, then with a casual shrug he faced back forward as he responded. "Ravenclaw is good yes."

They were halted from further conversation with the return of Professor McGonagall to lead them into the Great Hall.

Hermione knew what to expect but the sight of the hall still amazed her. The thousands of floating candles cast an almost ethereal golden light over the whole of the hall, and the velvet black star-studded ceiling had her eyes shining like chocolate orbs in her small pale face. "It's bewitched to look light the sky outside… I read about it in _Hogwarts; a History_ "

Her whisper for was the benefit of the two friends of Draco who were gaping open mouthed at the ceiling; she and Draco shared a look with him smirking and she rolling her eyes knowingly.

After that the names were called one by one to be sorted, they were called alphabetically so Hermione waited nervously for 'G' to come. Not disappointed, it was almost too soon that her name was finally called. "Granger, Hermione."

With a nervous smile to the blonde boy, while he gave her a nod in encouragement, Hermione walked up to the small stool carefully. Once there she sat down primly and folded her hands in her lap while the Professor placed the hat on her head. Almost instantly a voice sounded inside her ears, ' _ah, let me see now, yes I see… the courage you have but you're not a Gryffindor. Wit, yes plenty of wits, Ravenclaw will suit you well. Yet you want to proof yourself… ambition, oh yes you have remarkable ambition with a thirst for knowledge. I know after all just where to put a Fawley –'_

"Slytherin!"

The hat yelled out to her utter surprise, not only due to him calling her a Fawley but also due to the house he sorted her to. With absolute trepidation she slid from the stool wide-eyed and almost shaky, she knew Slytherin was a noble house to be sorted in, but she knew most of the pureblood fanatics were there as well. Her eyes landed on the blonde boy as she walked to the Slytherin table, he had a smug grin on his face as he followed her steps. Hermione gave him a weak smile in return before she passed out of his line of sight. She contented herself with the thought that she would by far not be the only half-blood in the Slytherin house at least.

As she walked to her new table Hermione became aware of some boo's sounding from the Gryffindor table amid the applause from the other tables, with a quick look as she sat down at the said table she saw they were really booing her for being in Slytherin. Immature.

Greg Goyle and Vincent Crabbe grinned at her oafishly as she sat down, knowing her now from her and Draco's interactions till thus far, Hermione smiled brightly at them and returned her attention to the next name that was called; applauding along with the other's every time someone was sorted.

Finally, Draco was sorted and he immediately swaggered over to their table where he sat down next to her with a grin that did little to hide his satisfaction. He winked at her before they listened to the rest being sorted. She rolled her eyes when Harry Potter got sorted to Gryffindor, it seemed fitting somehow. But she had to give a giggle as the Weasley boy also got sorted to Gryffindor, she had a feeling those two would become joined at the hip most likely.

After the sorting, they listened to the Headmaster's speech before tucking into the scrumptious feast that appeared before them. Hermione kept mostly to herself as she listened to the chatter around her, Draco would talk to her every now and then to which she would respond, but in general, she preferred to observe only.

After the feast was finished the prefects led them to the dungeons where the Slytherin dormitory was, as with the great hall Hermione was awed. The common room was beneath the black lake, so the windows looked out into the water, it cast a luminous glow around the room and she couldn't wait to see what it would look like in daytime when the sun would penetrate the water to illuminate the entire dormitories. She listened tentatively as the prefects explained where their dormitories were to be found as well as the common room rules (which could be found on the bulletin board as well), Hermione frowned as they were interrupted by some rowdy older students who darted in between the assembled first years.

"Hey! Watch where you are going!" Hermione's voice rang out clearly as a boy almost bumped her over, she scowled at him as he stopped in his tracks to smirk at her. "Apologies, Granger was it?"

Hermione stood frozen as she looked at the boy standing a few feet away from her, he looked to be about in the third year, but what caught her attention was the fact that he had an unruly mob of brown curly hair on his head. Meeting his eyes she looked into eyes the exact same shade as hers along with a nose dusted with freckles. Judging by his now frowning face he was noticing their matching attributes as well, but before he could say anything someone called from behind him. "Fawley! Stop running and settle to your dormitories! First years, you can continue upstairs to your dormitories to settle in."

Hermione's stomach clenched, they looked almost exactly alike! There was no way that no one would not notice that anytime soon. Uncertainty clawed through her. What would he do when he realised that they were related? And her father? She shook her thoughts away and decided to instead follow the other girls to their dormitories and unpack in silence.

Hermione didn't know that a pair of brown eyes were following her from where he sat on the couch now, a frown marring his pale skin as her back disappeared around the curve of the stone staircase. "Euan! Mate, I'm talking to you!"

Euan Fawley brought himself back to his friend who sat opposite him in an armchair, the latter who were scowling at him at that moment. "Checking out first years now? That is wrong mate-"

Euan tossed his friend with a pillow while laughing out loud, "no! there is something familiar about that Granger chit… does the name sound familiar to you Alex?"

Alex Parkinson frowned in thought as he threw the pillow on the floor between them. "I can't say… It's not magical name. Muggleborn perhaps?"

Euan shook his head in thought, "no. She wouldn't be sorted here then, most likely half-blood. I'll write to my father about it. He might recognise Granger from his school days."

Alex nodded along, "I'll ask Pans to keep ears open as well since they are now dormitory mates." Euan smiled at Alex, he felt an odd sense of protectiveness with the Granger girl for some reason, otherwise, he wouldn't even have bothered to apologise to her in the first place. "Let Pans befriend her as well perhaps. If she's half-blood she will need a friend."

"Don't know mate… I saw young Malfoy taking her in, so she should be fine." Alex grinned playfully at him as he rested his feet on the pillow on the floor leisurely. Euan conceded the point and instead resumed their previous conversation regarding the choice subjects they had signed on for that year.

DMHG

"I am Hermione Granger," Hermione held out her hand to the girl that had the pushed up nose, she was pretty except for her nose. The girl shook Hermione's hand haughtily. "Pansy Parkinson. And this is Millicent Bulstrode, Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis"

Hermione smiled widely as she shook each girls' hand in turn, Daphne seemed the warmest of them all whereas Tracey seemed indifferent. Millicent reminded her of a female version of Greg and Vincent, brutish. And Pansy was obviously the leader of the pack, she held her nose up and looked down at Hermione with obvious disdain.

"Granger is not a magical name. Half-blood?" Pansy almost sneered down at her after she stepped back from shaking their hands. Hermione knew she would need to make her stamp right now in order to not be bullied by the pug-nosed girl in front of her for the remainder of her school career. So picking up her chin she glared down at Pansy Parkinson in the same manner as that she had been doing at Hermione.

"Yes- not that it matters, I mean, Tracey is half-blood herself. So, why don't we unpack?"

Pansy glared at her for a second and then ceding the defeat she nodded at Hermione and they all turned to their trunks to start the unpacking process. Hermione knew she wouldn't have trouble with the girls in her dormitory now, maybe they can even become friends she thought happily as she finally climbed beneath her covers later. Turning down their bed lamps the girls all muttered goodnight to each other in the darkness. Hermione was surprised when she heard Pansy muttering a good night to her as well. Yes, she would be fine.

DMHG

"Hey, Hermione! Walk with us!" Draco stood smirking at their common room door between Greg and Vincent when she came down from her dormitory the next morning, smiling brightly she nodded and trotted over to the trio briskly. "Morning Draco! Did you sleep well, Vincent? Greg?"

They nodded at her with fixed smiles while Draco pushed open their door and indicated she should exit first, she was followed by him and his two friends within seconds where they flanked her and Draco as they walked to the great hall. Draco and Hermione chatted about their dormitories while the other two boys mostly just grunted responses, before she knew it they entered the great hall where most of the students were already sitting down and eating breakfast. They were just sitting down when the older boy that Hermione knew to be her brother sat down opposite her, another boy that almost reminded her of Pansy joining next to him.

"Draco, see you settled in?" Her brother spoke to her friend but he did shoot her a grin in recognition, she was surprised to realise they knew each other obviously.

Draco gave his signature smirk and nodded to the older two boys in greeting while he buttered a piece of toast. "Yes Euan, father said that our dormitories are the best, he was right."

Hermione smiled as she finally knew what her brother's first name was, it suited the good natured boy she was beginning to know. Euan turned to her while still grinning happily, "So Granger, where's your family from?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at his almost obvious attempt to figure out who she was, so she indulged him with the truth as far as possible. "Well my mum is muggleborn, she was in Hufflepuff. My dad was Slytherin though, but I don't know him…" She trailed off uncertainly; this would be the other matter that might make things difficult. Being an illegitimate child in the small old-fashioned world of wizarding Britain.

The silence settled around the small group as they all studied her intently, finally, Draco shrugged and bit into his toast, followed when Euan stretched across the table to ruffle her hair playfully. "Well, whoever he is, you're still a daughter of Slytherin then."

Her smile was bright still when Pansy and Daphne slid in next to the friend of Euan, she immediately realised the resemblance was real between the boy and Pansy when they sat next to each other. The boy elbowed her playfully as he ate some oats while she spread marmalade on her toast. "Taking care little sis?" The boy greeted between mouthfuls, Pansy shrugged and glanced at Hermione next to Draco.

"Yes Alex, I see you met my dorm mate?" She nodded her chin to Hermione as she bit into her toast and chewed slowly. Her brother, Alex, grinned and nodded. "Yes, being nice Pans?"

Pansy rolled her eyes in exasperation as she bit another mouthful from her toast before looking at Hermione thoughtfully while chewing; eventually, she swallowed and responded to her brother. "Of course. If us Slytherin's don't look out for one another then who will?"

Everyone nodded in agreement before returning to their toast, Hermione felt content between these snakes as she knew they would look out for each other and therefore she shouldn't worry too much about being openly bullied by anyone in her own house.

Hermione let her eyes travel around the hall as she ate her breakfast, her eyes landed on the two boys that had occupied her thoughts some the previous day, not surprised to see them sitting next to each other. Looking at them she frowned in consternation, the Weasley boy was barrelling food into his mouth with the manners of a pig. All the while talking to Potter non-stop, a shudder wracked through her as she watched him gormandise himself. Suddenly both boys looked up right into her eyes, she stared back unflinchingly, Potter immediately shrugged and went back to eating but the Weasley boy sneered at her before resuming his shovelling. She had a feeling they would bump heads a lot in the upcoming years still.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: I just want to thank you all for the huge response so far! Your beautiful reviews really make my day_ _J_ _!_

 _I plan on updating a chapter a week, most likely over the weekend as I work full time and have two young boys that require a lot of attention, but if real life intervenes I cannot unfortunately foresee that before hand and therefore apologise if I should skip an update._

 _Also, please remember that because this is a "Dark Hermione" the light side will be bashed, it is what will make the story in the end after all. And OOCness is inevitable in these fics. I have other fics where the Weasley's etc are the good guys and so on, to be a writer is to explore all sides and different ideas and aspects and then create the different stories. It is that which makes stories good._

 _So my old time favourite saying once more; if you do not like it, do not read it and respect that wish by not flaming if it is against your personal preferences._

 _Oh and still in the market for a beta ;-)_

 _Enjoy!_

 ** _Chapter 3_**

The first week flew by for Hermione, she found that she was very thankful for her thorough perusal of her _Hogwarts, a History_ book as it helped her a lot in surviving the castle in those first few days. There were so many things, from moving staircases to vanishing steps and even walls pretending to be doors. Not even mentioning the doors that you had to tickle at very specific places. The ghost was something else entirely to get used to as well, they would just glide through you and leave you feeling like you had stepped through a bucket of ice water.

Hermione loved everything.

She loved the majestic magical castle, she loved the faculty staff, and she loved the learning and the magic. She couldn't help herself from being wide-eyed and excitable with every new thing she encountered. Her hand would be the first up in every class when a question was posed which was a delight to all the teachers she has had till thus far but caused snickers and eye rolls from fellow students. Sometimes her fellow housemates will nudge her to not seem so over eager and maintain a modicum of decorum by letting someone else answer, Hermione would then be hard fraught by sitting on her hand to keep it from shooting up.

Friday dawned, along with her first Potions class with the Gryffindors; she was very excited along with Draco to attend their first class with their head of the house. Professor Snape came some evenings to the common room to check up on things, so she had met him already and was frightened at first by the dark severe wizard. But quickly that fear morphed to deep respect as she realised he was very strict, yes, but for the reasons of their own best interest. Hermione had already realised that the other houses were teamed together against _bad_ Slytherin and took every opportunity to get a Slytherin student into trouble, and Professor Snape ensured his house rules are maintained strictly in order to keep them all out of trouble and the spotlight.

And so Hermione found herself sitting next to Draco that Friday morning, barely able to contain her excitement, as they waited for their Professor to arrive. "Merlin Hermione, it's only Professor Snape and potions so stop fidgeting. It's making you seem unfinished and you can't taint my image like that."

Huffing, she elbowed him in his side. He glared at her in return and she smirked at him, they had quickly become almost inseparable in the last week and therefore had no qualms speaking the truth to each other. Even if the truth was unsavoury. "Draco… I will show you what you can do to your perfect image-" and then she reached out and ruffled his perfectly styled back hair to fall into his eyes.

Leaning back she grinned at his shocked expression, which quickly turned to anger much to her own amusement. "Hermione! Look what you did! I'll get you back for this." Draco shifted his chair away to sit completely at the end of the table as far away from her as he could, she giggled at his anger as he tried to pat his hair into place without a mirror. He was such a vain little boy she thought for the umpteenth time that week.

Before she could respond to him the door opened and their Professor entered, he went on to first take the register and then to explain the class in his quiet voice that Hermione was already familiar with, but judging by the Gryffindor faces they found him repulsive. She rolled her eyes as he put Harry Potter in a difficult position almost instantly, it was a bit unfair she had to concede, but couldn't help feeling a bit chuffed as she found boy wonder to be a tad irritating with all the attention the other teachers bestowed on him. She had heard that Professor Flitwick even toppled from his stack of books when he took the register and reached Harry Potter's name!

As Professor Snape asked Harry Potter a quick succession of questions she had to stifle a grin as Draco along with Greg and Vince snickered and almost shook with contained laughter at Potter's lack of answers. She shot up her hand as she knew the answers, and finally after the third question Potter told Professor Snape to ask her as she obviously knew.

The Professor kept eye contact with Potter when he spoke to her, "miss Granger, please contain yourself-"

She lowered her hand in shame for displeasing her head of house, but almost immediately he swivelled to face her with a very slight smirk, before continuing his remark.

"- however, please do inform the class on what I asked Mr Potter as he _obviously_ did not prepare for this class."

Schooling her features into a cool mask in order to keep the decorum that her head of house expected from his Slytherins', she coolly answered all three his questions accurately. "Sir, asphodel and wormwood make a very powerful sleeping potion known as the Draught of Living Death. Also, a bezoar is taken from a goat's stomach and saves you from most poisons. Lastly, sir, monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plants."

Professor Snape barely contained his satisfied smirk as he turned back to face a flushing Harry Potter. "Well, write that down everybody! And Mr Potter, one point from Gryffindor for your cheek. Miss Granger, ten points to Slytherin for your _adequate_ preparation."

She lifted her chin in the afterglow of his praise while vaguely noticing Draco's huff and muttered 'teachers' pet', Hermione turned and grinned at him in return. It caused Draco to finally forget that he was angry at her as he smirked at her with obvious pride in her earned points by besting Harry Potter. Hermione decided she will like potions very much indeed.

DMHG

"That was so sneaky Draco; I can't believe you did that." Hermione grinned at her friend as he stood smirking in satisfaction.

She had started the afternoon in consternation with her vain friend who had developed an unhealthy fascination with Harry Potter. He had arranged a midnight duel with Potter and Weasley which she had condemned and actually went as far as ignoring him the rest of the day. And then now, as she sat in the common room doing her homework, he had swaggered in flanked by Vince and Greg, with his smirk and informed her that he wasn't going as he informed Filch that they will be out of bed. So shaking her head at him she grinned in mirth at the boy.

"I have no intention of being caught out after hours. Professor Snape will be displeased-" he shuddered at the thought of the displeasure of their head of house. Hermione had to agree; somehow she didn't want to disappoint the snarky Professor who were the only one that truly looked out for the Slytherin students.

"Still, I wish I could see that… Did you make sure to give the right time to Filch?" Pansy heard the conversation and perked up to hear what Draco would respond to Hermione with a slow smile.

"Of course Hermione, I am not a dolt. Come this time tomorrow, Potter and Weasley will be long gone from Hogwarts." He was very confident and Hermione didn't want to break his mood by telling him that she didn't think the Harry Potter would be expelled. But Pansy saved her from having to say anything.

"Oh, Draco! That was so smart! I can't wait to tomorrow morning, does anyone have a camera? We need to capture the face of Harry Potter leaving Hogwarts." Pansy laughed at the thought while looking expectantly around the common room occupants; obviously, she was waiting for someone to offer their camera.

Shaking her head she returned to her homework as everyone started to flock around Draco, he would be basking in all the attention for the rest of the evening she knew. So Hermione was left alone to work on finishing all her assignments that were due the following week before the weekend.

From across the common room, Euan and Alex sat playing wizards chess together. Alex took the moment to look at his friend as Euan had been thoughtful for the last couple of days now but refused to talk about what was bothering him. He couldn't wait anymore, he had to know what was bothering his best friend.

"Alright Fawley, what is going on?" Alex sat back folding his arms across his chest expectantly, eyeing Euan firmly.

Euan sighed and rubbed his eyes before settling back to tell his friend what was on his mind. "Well, remember I said that I am going to write to my father about Granger?"

Alex frowned and nodded, one of his own previous thoughts making its way to his mind. "Yeah I remember, but Euan did you notice that you and Granger… well, you two look a lot alike…"

Euan nodded wearily in confirmation, "yes, I wrote father that first night back at school, he took a few days to reply. Apparently, he had a secret muggleborn friend that was named Jean Granger that was in Hufflepuff."

Alex's eyes widened in obvious surprise, "Granger's middle name is Jean isn't it?"

"Yes, father was a bit vague on the details about his friendship, but this witch obviously fits the profile of Granger's mother. Father seemed… evasive? He also seemed surprised. Either way, a couple of days ago he wrote again, he said he is arranging a meeting with me and Granger the weekend after this." Euan looked almost a bit panicky at the thought.

Alex felt shocked; this was bigger than Euan had thought at first. "That's… Why would your father want a meeting with you two?"

"I don't know, but I can't help but feeling it has something to do with me and Granger looking alike. Maybe she is some illegitimate cousin?" Euan glanced over the room at the witch they were discussing; she was sitting in the corner alone bent over piles of open books and parchments.

Alex swallowed while looking at his friend wide eyed, it was one thing to be accepting of Granger as an illegitimate child in their house, but if an illegitimate child was connected directly to you, then it was another story altogether. "Your uncle's daughter?"

"Yes, Uncle Edwin died about three years after I was born, so it would have been around the time she was born. It would explain why she was not known to the family; perhaps her mother didn't know us and decided to raise her by herself? And Uncle Edwin would obviously have known that he would be disinherited if he married a muggleborn, so that would be the reason he kept it secret." Euan frowned; these were the thoughts that he kept himself occupied with since he received the last letter from his father.

The other possibility was simply unthinkable.

DMHG

Jean Granger stood staring out of her kitchen window. It had happened even quicker than she had thought it would. With a sigh she glanced back down to look at the letter in her hand, it was really only a note. It had arrived by the first Friday after Hermione had left for Hogwarts, she hadn't even been gone a full week.

 _Jean,_

 _Is she my daughter, meet me Monday at the Leaky Cauldron._

 _9pm._

 _X.G.F_

Of course, it wasn't a question; he didn't even make it one. Xavier was smart; it was simple math and logic. Also, Xavier knew her. They had loved each other deeply, he truly _knew_ her. With a sigh, Jean took a blank piece of parchment from a drawer and with a quill she penned her reply to the father of her child.

 _Xavier,_

 _Of course. I will see you then._

 _J.A.G_

Tying the response to the leg of her own owl she sends it on his way, with a sigh Jean turned around to fix her a quick lunch. She missed her little girl; the cottage was so empty without Hermione. It was Saturday, the day after his note had arrived, and this marked the first weekend that Jean would spend alone. Her stomach twisted with the growing nerves of seeing her old love again for the first time in almost thirteen years. Well, in all honesty, she was a real Hufflepuff, loyal and accepting to a fault. This meant she had remained loyal to her heart all these thirteen years; she would always love Xavier Fawley.

DMHG

That Monday night, Jean sat in a dark corner table in the Leaky from eight thirty already. She was gripping a glass of firewhiskey in both her hands. Normally she would avoid hard alcohol, but since this was the first time in years that she was in the wizarding world at night time, and as her nerves were killing her, she decided to indulge in the wizarding drink.

When the shadow fell over her that indicated someone had stepped next to her table, she looked up wide-eyed at the wizard next to her.

Xavier had not changed much, a bit older yes, but still handsome. There were more lines on his face, but somehow they added to indicate his maturity which in actual fact made him more handsome. His brown curly hair was cut short and styled flat, which resulted in his curls not being visible if you didn't know that they existed. His eyes were still the chocolate brown, but they were harder than she remembered. His mouth had the same full lips, yet they were straight with no hint of smile lines around his mouth. Jean was sad to realise that he didn't seem to be a very happy man. She nodded at the empty chair opposite her without saying a word.

Xavier sat down formally, his big frame still sporting the rigid elegant posture she remembered from years prior. Once he was seated he just continued to look at her, it seemed like an hour passed with them just looking at each other in silence. But it could hardly have been more than two minutes, finally he flicked his wand to cast a muffling charm.

"So that was why you left me." Xavier deadpanned.

Jean inhaled, obviously they had unfinished business between them other than Hermione. She had never actually broken it off with Xavier, when she found out she was pregnant she had simply knocked at the Ministry to request their help in integrating her into the muggle world again. She had, after all, no muggle education or qualifications. So the ministry had to get the Prime Minister to issue her a high school matriculation diploma and get her placed into employment. After that, she had spent nights away actually studying certain muggle high school subjects just to be able to at least seem that she actually did finish high school as her issued diploma suggest. The moment she felt comfortable she had then enrolled into university to study dentistry, it had been her own parents' occupation and she was comfortable with that. It was hard years, working to pay for her and her baby's livelihood and to pay for her studies, then running around after classes and spending nights away behind her books. Luckily her parents had left her the cottage upon their deaths, so rent was one thing less to worry about. And thanks to apparition she also didn't have to worry about transport cost. Her life had not been easy those first five years.

"Xavier… you know I couldn't stay either way. We had no future; also, the Dark Lord would not have been happy if he knew you were involved with me." She spoke softly, her blue eyes probing his, looking for the old softness in them that he used to bestow only on her and his young son. She couldn't find it.

"He is gone. It would not have mattered then. You just left, and then kept my own daughter's existence from me. I looked for you, Jean…" His lips pressed together and she recognised his frustration was bordering on bitterness.

"Yes he is gone, and yes if you decided to step out of family expectations my blood status wouldn't have mattered. Yet, you were married. You are still married." She cast her eyes down to see that her knuckles glowed white in the harsh grip around the glass. His very presence still affected her, in fact, it affected her even more than when they had been young.

She heard his sharp inhale and tensed. "Lucinda was a mistake. You know that. But yes, I understand what you mean. Divorces in the old pureblood families are not easy, almost impossible in fact. But you knew I would have taken care of you, I did take care of you-" Jean cut him off with a heavy sigh. "Yes you did Xavier, and you would have continued to take care of me and Hermione. I know. We would have been your second family, living in the house you supplied, wanting for nothing, and having to wait always for when you could spare us the time."

Xavier opened his mouth to respond but Jean continued before he could. "And I had been content living in that little house we had, I knew what I had signed up for by being your mistress. I was happy; I would have continued being happy. But then I got pregnant, and suddenly when a real child is coming your perspectives change drastically. It wasn't about what made me happy, it was what was best for our baby. And it wouldn't have been best for her to grow up being the illegitimate daughter of a well-known wizard. To always have to wait for scraps of attention, for while I understood it; she wouldn't have had."

He nodded slightly in the understanding of what she was saying, the truth undeniable. "Why couldn't I find you then, yet now I had only needed to request your information from the Ministry?"

"Because, I made sure my records were sealed when I integrated into the muggle society. But I knew Hermione's parentage would come out once she went to Hogwarts, and I had no intention of hiding it should you choose to question it. So I had my details unsealed the moment she left for School." Jean took a big gulp of the drink, fortifying her nerves.

Xavier studied her, then finally the cold eyes dropped their shutters and she saw a world-weary man that had lived years of unhappiness. Lucinda was a cold witch, their marriage had been arranged when they were children, and love had never been between them. Jean felt her heart constrict with the realisation that the love of her heart had no happiness except his son. It was different for her, even though she also only had her daughter; there was no cold forced husband around to make her miserable. She found herself needing to touch him, to feel his skin beneath her fingers but she refrained from doing so. No need to raise more complications.

"I want to see her. I am going to claim her as my daughter Jean."

Jean closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she had expected this, it is why she had told Hermione the truth beforehand so that she had enough time to come to terms and decide what she would want. Xavier was a man with deep family loyalty, so even if Hermione was illegitimate and half-blood, she was family and end of story.

Jean nodded solemnly, "of course Xavier. I didn't expect anything else."

Their eyes met once again over the table, this time neither hid the longing in their eyes. So many lost dreams that could never be, and yet both very obviously still wanted.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Any homosexual references in this chapter is not to indicate any view against homosexuality. It is merely for the purpose of the story. Children needling their rivals with anything that they think can be insulting. No offense is intended._

 _Enjoy!_

 ** _Chapter 4_**

It was the third week of term and Hermione had already buried herself waist high in school work. She refused to slack off and had already pre-read all her term textbooks from start to finish. Theoretically, she knew everything they were to learn for the school year by the third week, it would just be the practical application that she would learn in the classes. Draco made fun of her swot ways, of course, constantly riling her up till she would leave the common room in a huff to continue her work in the library or her dormitory. But, they were friends, and therefore she forgave him every time, he would usually come bearing her an apology gift in the form of some expensive chocolate that his mother sends him every other day.

It was Wednesday of the third week when her mother wrote to her about some important information that started the process of changing her life forever.

The letter had started with its usual warm regards and news from home, but then the tone changed to one of subdued seriousness. Her father knew. And he had already met up with her mother to discuss everything, Hermione sat reading the letter at the breakfast table, so at that point, she had looked up to see her brother looking at her intently. She returned hid intent gaze before she resumed reading.

The letter further detailed that she would be meeting her father that very Saturday in the Headmaster's office, her mother would be attending the meeting as well, along with her brother. A family meeting then…

Hermione folded the letter back and placed it into her bag quietly. She didn't join in on the conversation Draco was having, instead, she studied her brother. Euan was talking to Alex with a subdued manner; suddenly they both had looked up right at her, Hermione smiled weakly at them before resuming her breakfast. She kept wondering if Euan knew yet.

"Hey, Hermione! I'm talking to you!" Her attention snapped to her friend next to her, Draco was waving his hand in front of her face trying to get her attention. She turned frowning to the blonde boy and rolled her eyes at him while taking a bite from her toast. "What is it Draco?"

He smirked at her as he responded, "I was telling Greg and Vince here, that my father said that he could get us to visit the manor one weekend. You know he is a school governor –"Hermione scoffed at her friend. "Yes Draco, we _know_ your father is a governor."

The boy only smirked once more at her interruption though before continuing anyway. "My father said that I could bring you all so that they could meet you. He said he would arrange it for the weekend of the Halloween gala that mother holds every year."

A frown marred her brow as she registered what Draco was saying. As far as she knew students weren't allowed to leave Hogwarts except for holiday or dire emergencies. As if sensing her confusion the arrogant boy preened his feathers even more. "Like I said, Hermione… father is a governor… and guess what, it will be a long weekend! Father will get us excused for the Thursday and Friday classes so we can leave Thursday morning for the gala."

She opened her mouth to protest her cutting classes, but as if reading her thoughts her own brother cut her off from where he sat opposite her. "Granger relax, Alex and I go every year as well… certain perks to being from influential families. You are already ahead in all your classes. Two days won't matter."

Her mouth closed again, stubbornly she folded her arms and lifted her chin, "fine, but if I fail my exams end of term it will be your fault Draco."

Her friend only grinned and then proceeded to talk to his other friends again. By the end of the breakfast, Hermione had deduced that she, Greg, Vince, both Parkinson's, her brother and Theo Nott with Daphne Greengrass would be attending the gala. They were apparently the sum of the influential families that were expected to attend. Although she herself was merely on merit for being friends with Draco. Blaise Zabini was also invited, but he respectfully declined, he was a boy that kept to himself mostly.

Everyone had resumed their chatter when they were interrupted by the very late arrival of some owls carrying a big package. Hermione followed their journey where they dumped their burden in front of Harry Potter; the package was long and thin. It would take a particular idiot not to know that it was a broom. Of course, Draco immediately started smirking with the thought of once again trying to get Potter into trouble, he left the table with Greg and Vince within minutes.

"Granger I think you need to go make sure your friend does not get himself into trouble. Don't want to lose points." With a groan at Euan Hermione grumbled moodily as she got up to follow Draco and his friends, everyone treated her as the pale boy's keeper.

She arrived at the staircases where her friend was busy waiting while bragging to the other two. With a scowl she took in her position next to him, her arms folded once more across her chest. She ignored them while the boys continued discussing how this time Potter won't be able to get away with it.

Eventually, the irritating duo arrived to go to their dormitories most likely; Hermione remained quiet during their exchange, only there to intervene if the boys were tempted to actually break the rules. She couldn't help but to frown as the exchange happened, and then when Professor Flitwick came and confirmed that the broom was given with permission Hermione couldn't help but scowl. After they left to make their way to their classes, Hermione had started to rant.

"Well, that is unfair. So if I had been in Gryffindor then the rules wouldn't apply to me? I'm telling you Draco, Potter is the real teacher's pet. Not me –" Her ramblings continued right till they were in their first class, she didn't notice how Draco remained conspicuously quiet the whole time, a scowl on his face that she wouldn't have recognised as she as of yet, hadn't seen the real dark side of her friend.

DMHG

The rest of the week rolled by mostly without incident, Hermione had by now noticed that Draco was unnaturally quiet since the broomstick incident, but she didn't nag him about it. She instead kept to herself once more, except for when she and Draco spent their time together. The only incident of note happened that Friday when a fight broke out between Gryffindor and Slytherin students in the joint potions class.

The class had been following its usual trope until Professor Snape was called outside by Professor McGonagall.

The moment the door closed behind the Professor, Draco started wheedling Weasley, it was nothing new of course, and Hermione didn't bother stopping him as he never took it to a brawling level. He just liked getting Potter and Weasley to react. Only this time Weasley and Potter apparently had no qualms about retaliating literally.

"Oh look, Potty and Weasel are joined at the hip… when's the wedding?" Accompanying his taunt he made kissing faces and noises, the other Slytherin students instantly started snickering and followed suit with the kissing noises. Hermione rolled her eyes and continued to measure out the ingredients for her and Draco's cauldron.

Her head snapped up though when she heard Weasley's retaliation. "Shove it, Malfoy. At least we don't need a bossy know-it-all to pull us through classes… and oh, what would daddy say about a bastard child holding your hand?"

This time the Gryffindors were the one's laughing, Hermione felt herself flush, and their accusation was groundless of course. Draco had great intelligence and actually kept his own grades where it was; just below hers. But to hear the first loud insults regarding her parentage was very hurtful. As if on one cue, the entire first year Slytherin house students stood up with Weasley's insult, all their wands pulled and pointed to the two Gryffindors. The other Gryffindors stood up as well and within seconds the class was split into two groups while facing each other down.

"You take that back Weasel. You keep Hermione out of this." Draco's voice was deadly cold and Hermione actually felt a shiver of apprehension running down her spine, she spared him a quick glance from where he stood next to her with his wand pointed. His eyes stared unblinkingly at Weasley as he spoke; a coldness in his eyes that she couldn't deny scared her.

The silence in the room was deafening, you would have heard a pin drop.

"Or what Malfoy? Will you write to daddy? Guess what, I am sure your daddy will be very happy about your half-blood bastard girlfriend… perhaps I will let my father mention it sometime when he is next at the Ministry." Potter nodded in agreement with his friend, both boys sported malicious sneers.

Draco, on the other hand, remained cold, "he knows you, daft imbecilic moron. And guess what, she is still invited to our Manor. Oh wait, yes… you wouldn't know what a manor is, you live in a dirt hovel. Now, apologise to Hermione, she isn't a part of this."

The two Gryffindors only laughed then, followed by their backing of the other Gryffindors. Hermione was afraid that this would escalate into a full blown fight and started nudging at Draco nervously.

"Look, Malfoy's bastard girlfriend is trying to get him to give up… How does it feel having no idea who your father is Hermione? Is he even magical? Maybe you are just a hidden muggleborn… Malfoy's daddy would love that wouldn't he?" This time it was a girl that Hermione recalled as being named Lavender Brown that spoke up.

This time Hermione snapped, she reacted before even Draco could, although he, as well as the rest of their housemates, were on her heels. It was completely out of character for Hermione to fight, but she did have an awful temper, and the girl with the colour name just managed to snap it. She lunged at Lavender Brown and had her in some head lock within seconds, vaguely she realised that all the Slytherin and Gryffindor students were now brawling physically.

It had barely gone on for a minute before the classroom door slammed open and a livid Professor Snape stood there, He took in as cauldron's toppled from tables and spilt its contents all over, ingredients were flying everywhere and glass bottles shattered. With a sweep of his wand all the students froze in place, Potter had Draco in a headlock as Weasley swung a fist to hit him in his face. Hermione still had Lavender in a headlock while the blonde girl tried to grab Hermione's hair to pull it. Pansy had a slap halfway to Patil's face; Milli was sitting on Longbottom's chest while trying to get a fist shot in. Finnigan had a fist connected to Theo's jaw while Thomas was held by Blaise so that Tracey could pummel him. Greg and Vince were trying to free Draco and stop Weasley's fist, Daphne, on the other hand, was behind Finnigan to try and stop the punch from landing on Theo.

If the matter hadn't been this serious, then the entire scene would have been plainly hilarious. As it was, with them all being frozen in place, they were forced to see the livid anger flushing the pallid face of the Potions Master.

"Pray tell me, _what_ is going on in here?" The quiet hiss had Hermione cringe inside, they were in trouble, and she was smart enough to know that.

With another sweep of his wand the spilt potions that were hissing and bubbling on the floor disappeared, and he then unfroze the students. Everyone immediately shuffled apart and looked down at the messed floor guiltily.

Professor Snape snapped at Draco, "Mr Malfoy, what is the meaning of all this?"

His voice didn't invite cheek and Draco didn't even try to be his smarmy self, he only looked at his professor and responded truthfully. "Weasley and Brown called Hermione derogatory names professor… they called her a bastard half-blood."

The professor pulled in a hiss as he swivelled to look at the Gryffindors, Potter immediately started excusing them. "Sir, Malfoy started it, he was taunting us – "

Professor Snape was known to prefer his own students, and he didn't suddenly change now, "And what did Mr Malfoy taunt you with Potter?"

Anyone who knew the snarky Professor would have known that his voice was not inviting an answer, but of course, Potter was completely righteous and would not back down. "He taunted that me and Ron will be getting married…"

Hermione bit her lip not to correct his grammar but managed it. By saying that aloud Potter realised how ridiculous it sounded and a flush crept up his neck.

"So, because Mr Malfoy pointed out what was _obvious_ … You found it alright to call another student a derogatory name. Three points from each student in Slytherin for brawling – "

The Gryffindors immediately started to snicker at the Potions Master actually deducting points from his beloved house, but they were instantly silenced when he continued. " – And five points from each Gryffindor student for brawling, also, Brown and Weasley are to report to me tonight at seven to start your two weeks detention for name calling."

The Professor then went to his desk where he sat down, looking up he sneered at the muttering students. "Well, what are you waiting for? Clean up this mess now."

DMHG

The rest of their Friday passed without incident, there was a brief moment at lunch where the rather big loss of points was noticed and the rest of Slytherin demanded to know who lost them points. But after it was explained what happened, the rest of the house were in full agreement that Gryffindor had to pay. Even though not everyone in Slytherin might be friends, or even like each other, the one rule of the house was that they look after their own. And since they had insulted one of theirs in a very derogatory form, well, they would be put in place.

The incidents, therefore, had started after lunch on the third Friday after the start of the new school year term, and it would last for the rest of Hermione's school career.

The unofficial and unspoken of war between Slytherin and Gryffindor had been publicly declared in that potions class. A war between two houses that would now increase in intensity for years to come, till the last of the current first years all left the school and along with them, they would take the knowledge of why they would not back off in this open house rivalry.

That night after all the students were in their common rooms, Professor Snape came to pay them a visit. Hermione knew it had to do with the class incident as well as the two incidents that had happened after lunch during the course of the day. So when he called them all together in the common room she was quite prepared for his put down, only their Professor managed to surprise her once more.

"What happened in the first year's potions class this morning was completely _unacceptable._ I expect better behaviour from my house. However, if a repeat should ever occur where one of us are insulted in that manner again –" He trailed off to give a cold sneer while taking in the masses of students in front of him, "—I fully expect you to _handle_ it in a manner appropriate to the house of Salazar Slytherin."

His meaning was clear, they would handle it, and they would not leave it. They just had to handle it in a different way.

"Each one of you here has been selected by the hat for certain traits you possess, use those traits. I do not want a repeat of this morning. Look after each other, because as you know, no one else in this school will. And Miss Granger," her Professor turned his black eyes on her then, but she could see a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Next time, make sure that any incident that befalls Miss Brown is not traceable to you… I already took care of the one this afternoon, but next time I might not be around."

And with that, he turned and left the common room through the entrance, his signature black robes billowing out behind him.

The common room erupted into talk as everyone took in that they had as well as gotten permission to wage their war against Gryffindor; they just had better not get caught. Hermione sat with a contemplative face. She had not been directly involved with the stray hex that caught Lavender in the corridor, but it was suspicious after the morning's happenings in the class. They would need to keep their retaliations away from obvious magic; it had to look like accidents.

Her musings were interrupted when Euan slid into the chair next to her at the table she sat at. He didn't speak immediately, instead, he regarded her contemplatively. After what seemed like minutes he finally broke the silence. "Have you been informed yet of the meeting tomorrow Granger?"

Hermione pushed the book back she had been reading before their Professor came in, "yes, my mother wrote to me Wednesday about it." The older boy searched her face with his eyes, eyes that she once again realised were truly an exact replica of her own.

"Do you know who your father is?" His question caught her by surprise, she hadn't thought he would ask it straight out.

With a sigh, she answered as best she could, "yes. I know who my father is Euan…"

The boy looked at her beseechingly as if hoping she would be more forthcoming with information, but Hermione felt that it was news he had to hear from their father himself. As if sensing her reluctance Euan instead sat back with a half-smile. "I'm going to be surprised aren't I?"

She giggled at his exasperated expression; this conversation was the official unvoiced conversation of the familial link between them, although he was still unaware of exactly how close that link is.

Tomorrow would be a day full of revelations, and Hermione couldn't help the knot that was twisting in her stomach. She wanted approval, and she was scared to death that her father wouldn't give her that.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Wow! I feel so happy with the response so far on this fic!_

 _Thank you so much for the positive reviewers and everyone taking the time to favourite and follow, I cannot express how encouraging that is._

 _Now, I apologise if the story seems slow to start, it is done for a reason. I want everyone to truly connect to the characters, to get to know my version of Slytherin Hermione, my version of her mother as well as my OC characters of the Fawley family. Children are made to grow up being evil, and I want to show how Hermione was made in my story. How a child was moulded by circumstance into another version of herself. And to do that solidly, I want to have a step by step from where it all started. Readers can connect and understand then._

 _Another thing, in this first year, I am trying to base Hermione some on canon Hermione and how that slowly morphs to my Hermione version, except for the altered background and school house of course. I want to show how the sorting system actually does influence character development in school years. Think about it, everyone has something of all the traits of the school houses, but I noticed that the students tend to then sort of 'adopt' the traits more openly in a case of "house pride". For example, "I must be brave because I am a Gryffindor" or, "I must be cunning with this situation because I am a Slytherin" Saying that often enough will cause you to become more cunning/brave than you might have originally been, to begin with…_

 _Anyway, enough of my ramblings… as always, do not like – do not read._

 _And if like… then,_

 _Enjoy!_

 ** _Chapter 5_**

Saturday dawned clear with the sun promising a comfortably warm day in the early fall, Hermione was a nervous wreck as she sat by herself in the great hall while eating breakfast. Draco joined her at some point and tried to draw her out, but gave up soon when he realised that she was not even registering his presence next to her.

No one knew of the meeting that morning, except for Euan of course.

The meeting would be early, barely at ten am. After breakfast the young witch sat in the library in her dark corner while waiting for the time to pass; glancing at her watch she saw it was only nine am yet. A ragged sigh escaped her lips as she tried concentrating on the book in front of her. But for once in her life, a book was not distracting her.

Hermione finally gave up and with a huff she packed up her books and returned the borrowed ones, as she was reaching up to replace a book on one of the higher shelves, a voice startled her to almost drop the heavy tome.

"The know-it-all alone in the Library… I'm sitting detention because of you – "

Hermione turned around slowly, she kept counting in her head in order to keep her cool, she really didn't want to disappoint her head of house with any un-Slytherin behaviour again. So she kept her face impassive and her eyes cool, when she finally stood to face Weasley and Potter she then adopted her own version of Draco's sneer.

With her arms then folded casually across her chest she raised a mocking eyebrow as well, "Weasley… I hear your mother doesn't like if her children are unmannered, a Prewett she is after all. Maybe I will inform her of your unprovoked derogatory insults. Think she might send you a howler? From what I heard on the platform her voice is enough to make the Dark Lord himself cringe."

She saw a momentarily flash of fear in his eyes then, her sneer turned into a satisfied smirk as the realisation dawned that he actually really did fear his mother.

"Oh yes…my mother knows her, I think I will let my mother owl her old friend…" Hermione didn't really tell the truth about them being friends, merely acquainted, yet she took a leaf from Draco's book and intimidated with knowledge obtained and some colourful insinuations planted in.

She felt that it was a very Slytherin method and stood smirking at the flushing red headed boy in front of her, his friend only shuffled a bit to glance uncertainly at Weasley. Obviously, Potter was not sure how stern Molly Prewett-Weasley was and how far to believe her intimidations.

Weasley retaliated furiously, "you're lying, my mum would have mentioned any friend that had bastard offspring. And I am not surprised that you call He Who Must Not Be Named dark lord… typical Slytherin, bad, you whole lot are."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "honestly Weasley… then you will then have to just wait and see then, wouldn't you? A nice howler over breakfast… enough to have my day made."

With that she stepped past the two boys and casually walked from the library, once in the corridor her smirk was positively evil in her elation. She knew she would have made her head of house proud with how she had handled the confrontation.

DMHG

At exactly ten am, Hermione stood in front of the headmaster's office. She paced nervously while wringing her hands, her pacing was disrupted by the arrival of Euan. Both looked nervously at each other before jumping in fright as the stone gargoyle unexpectedly stepped aside. Both students looked at the circular staircase and with repetitious nods stepped on the first steps, suddenly the stairs started rotating up, it reminded Hermione of the muggle escalators.

Upon reaching the top they stepped into the large, eccentrically decorated circular room. Hermione almost gaped in astonishment, luckily she stopped herself as she once more remembered her head of house and his request that they be the Slytherins they are.

Her eyes rested on the figure of her mother almost immediately, then she smiled widely at her mother while keeping every ounce of decorum to not run into her arms. Instead, she walked sedately and then hugged her mother warmly, she heard a deep male voice greeting Euan somewhere to the side of her but did not turn her head. She tried to avoid looking at the man that she knew to be her father for as long as possible.

After pulling back from the hug she still only looked at her mother. A voice cleared next to her and her mother took her hand warmly to turn her to the side.

A comforting smile was on Jean's face, "Hermione sweetheart, this is Xavier Fawley – "

Hermione finally rested her eyes on the tall broad man who stood almost right next to her. Her eyes widened, he was a big man, with a strong aristocratic face. His brown hair was short but the kink in them still obvious. She knew if it was any longer then his hair would be just as curly as her and Euan's. His eyes were the exact same shade of brown, there were no doubt to their very close relation.

Euan stood frowning, he was still very much in the dark about exactly how they were related, but he was a very intelligent boy himself and could tell this might be even bigger than he had estimated. Xavier had cut her mother off when he stepped forward to rest his big hands on her shoulders, he stooped forward to look into her eyes intently. She could see the barest twitch at the corner of his mouth and suddenly she wasn't afraid anymore, for she could see that he was just as nervous about this as she was. Hermione then smiled brightly at him and in the feeling of the moment she stepped forward and encircled his neck with her arms.

The man froze momentarily at her unexpected hug, but then she felt him relax and then his arms encircled her body to return her warm tight hug.

The silence around them was palpable, then the uncertain voice of Euan sounded up as they finally stepped apart; Hermione was blushing in embarrassment at her momentary loss of decorum. "Father…?"

Their father smiled down at her flushed face gently before turning around to his son again, in all this time, not a word had been exchanged between Hermione and her father. She felt as her mother rested her hands from behind on her shoulders while they watched as Euan looked calculatingly at his father, Xavier then swept his arm to the visitor's chairs.

"Come on son, let's all sit down… The headmaster was kind enough to leave us alone for this family meeting – " Euan frowned at his father before sitting down, Hermione and her mother followed suit and soon all four sat facing each other in a circle.

Xavier cleared his throat and looked at Euan guardedly. "first off Euan… you know your mother and me, our marriage is an arranged one. What you don't know is, or you might if you kept abreast accepted behaviours in our circles, we had an agreement from the beginning that the moment an heir was conceived, then we both would be allowed our different lives… or rather, we would both go and be with partners of our own choosing. As long as they did not interfere with our family."

Euan grimaced as he figured out what his father meant, mistresses and the like, he started to realise where this would be going. The fleeting thought crossed his mind of whether his mother had some beau on the side as well.

"Well, after you were born I immediately went in search of the witch I wanted since school, Jean Granger… she was muggleborn and you know the family viewpoints on that, but I found I didn't care as I already did my part with my marriage to your mother and siring you." Hermione listened intently as he spoke, very curious about the story from his side. "Jean and I then started our relationship, I set her up in a house and spent all free time I had there, unfortunately with the war being then things were - complicated."

Jean bowed her head in what seemed to be a moment of hiding some intense emotion, Hermione noted with interest as her father glanced at her in what seemed to be some deep worry. But when he saw she looked back up with her usual bright smile he returned to his story. Hermione and Euan did not say anything, they were both dealing with their own shock and curiosity.

"One day Jean just disappeared, I got to our house and it was empty. She had left everything I bought her and only took the things she had come with… I couldn't find her – " her father turned his intent gaze on Hermione then, "I did look for her Hermione, I really did. She hid away very well."

Euan finally spoke up then, his voice was even and very calculating. "So, what you're saying father… Hermione is my sister?"

Everyone looked at him at that moment to gauge exactly how he was taking the news, he sat very calmly and just studied each of their faces in turn. "I guess I should be angry, but I know you and mother have no love lost between you two… yet you both love me well and our home life has never been unstable… mother has some love on the side then?"

Xavier looked as if he wanted to sigh in relief, yet he maintained his stiff posture and Hermione couldn't help but admire the absolute control he maintained over his emotions and actions. She somehow knew this was the example of what Professor Snape expected from his house.

Her father smirked slightly at Euan, "yes of course… she and Stephan have been happy with their arrangement for the past twelve years. He is half-blood himself. And she knew about Jean as well… it is just not discussed, ever, our separate lives remain apart and private."

Euan scoffed in what seemed to be disgust then, "you mean to say that Uncle Stephan is mother's – ewww – " he shook himself from what Hermione realised was some mental visualisation and she found herself stifling some giggles. With that the atmosphere dissolved and everyone relaxed back into their chairs some, Hermione was impatient, though, she had waited patiently for her father to break the news to her brother, now she wanted to actually talk to her father as well.

So with a tentative smile, she finally addressed her father directly, "what must I call you?" She was so uncertain, she always dreamed of having a father, it was one of those never spoken of dreams, yet it was there. But what if he didn't want to really be her father? She saw the looks between him and her mother, she was smart enough to see they still cared deeply for each other, and he did want to meet her, but other than that she had no idea what he really wanted or how it would work.

Surprising her he stood up and kneeled in front of her, then he took her hand in his and gave her a careful smile his eyes were unguarded for the first time since she saw him and was overwhelmed with the intensity of longing that reflected there.

"Hermione… you are the daughter I have with a witch will always be dear to me… of course, I want to hear you call me father. But it is your choice, whatever you feel comfortable with." She met his eyes and a few loaded seconds passed, then she tested the word on her tongue carefully. "Father… I would like it very much to call you father."

A real smile lit his features then, and Hermione leant forward to once more hug the wizard in the black formal robes tightly, this time the hug felt warmer as he returned it. A groan met them at that point, and pulling back she noticed a tear rolling down her mother's cheek, but her smile was one so bright that Hermione knew the tears were of happiness.

The groan had come from Euan who was rolling his eyes at them in mock indignation, "really, now I will not only be having a sister… but she will be a _hugging_ type of little sister." Hermione then stood up after her father, with a smile she then hugged her brother where he sat still.

"Stop hinting Euan, I will hug you too of course!" he surprised her when he tickled her sides then and she burst out in a fit of giggles while she scrambled to detangle herself from where he had pulled her down onto his lap.

Finally, she was free of him and stood up again, her mother and father stood to one side as they took in the younger two carefully. Both stood proud and erect.

"Why don't we stroll the grounds a bit, I would love to get to know my daughter some." Hermione instantly felt wary at her father's request, she knew the whole school population would be out and about and worried what everyone would say.

She didn't mind if they knew who her father was, she had made peace weeks prior that eventually, it would be public, but she didn't want to make things awkward for Euan and her father, though. As if sensing her trepidation, Euan rolled his eyes. "Hermione, we do what we want. Remember that having the name of Fawley means something. I don't mind letting everyone know you are my sister… wait, I would prefer that in fact –" he mused thoughtfully, " – because then I can legally hex Weasley and Potter if they insult you again."

Hermione saw how her father and mother narrowed their eyes instantly and turned enquiring faces to Euan, "insult Hermione? Explain son."

Her father sounded cold at that very moment and Hermione suddenly felt a shiver of apprehension run down her spine. Her mother never actually told her that her father had been a Dark Lord follower, and Hermione had told herself that he most likely had been only a sympathiser like most purebloods. But seeing the current look in his eyes, as well as the cold voice, she suddenly felt like he might very well have been one of the cold-blooded Death Eaters. She hoped not, they were bad wizards, yet she had to remain open minded especially as her father was officially a Sacred Twenty-Eight pureblood and therefore things might not be what it always seems. It was as it was said, history is written by the winners.

Euan looked intently into his father's eyes, Hermione had a feeling that they were communicating wordlessly. "Ronald Weasley, the youngest Weasley son had attached himself to the hip of Harry Potter. Arrogant brats both of them, strutting around and having rules bend for them everywhere. Yesterday they insulted Hermione that she was a bastard."

A hiss sounded from her mother, but her father just continued to watch Euan intently with his cold eyes. "Handle it Euan. I need not say that we take care of our own…"

The meaning was clear in his voice, Hermione was family and would be protected no matter what; she saw a smirk on her brother's face, something unfamiliar on his normally light mischievous expression.

With a firm nod and predatory smirk her brother responded coolly, "of course father. They will be dealt with. The war has been declared yesterday, Professor Snape already informed us that we will not let transgressions against our house go unretaliated. Each of us knows what is expected of us."

Hermione realised her playful brother had another side at that moment, another shiver ran down her spine. She had a lot more to learn about her family than she realised.

DMHG

The four of them were strolling along the black lake for the remainder of the morning, Hermione was loving it. She felt how a certain empty space inside of her was filling with each minute spent with her father. He absolutely adored her from the first moment he met her she realised later, she suspected he had adored her even before already, probably since the moment he found out of her existence. It made her feel even more loved.

Her mother also seemed to have a certain spark to her that Hermione had never seen before, her tinkling laughter would roll over the grounds constantly. Hermione loved seeing her sunny mother so exceptionally happy. She wondered whether they would once more retake their relationship now that everything was out in the open. Although the whole concept of these double lives was completely abnormal to her, she had read enough to know it was actually a common practice in old aristocratic families from previous centuries. And if she really thought about it, the wizarding society was predominantly old-fashioned, and the pureblood circles still practised most old customs; so it made sense that they would have these practices still. Especially since the old purebloods were the aristocrats of the wizarding world.

She felt uncomfortable with the thought of being someone's mistress, a shudder ran down her, she dreamed about actually loving the person she marries one day. Looking at her father and mother she frowned, it really was not normal for her to live these lives… She had stepped back for a bit to ponder her thoughts while her parents walked ahead, Euan now walked with her for a bit.

Sensing her thoughts, Euan chuckled next to her. "It's actually normal Hermione… I didn't actually ever think of possible other partners for my parents… but I do know that their only mutual interest is me. I also do know they have an arranged marriage. And I do know in general that side relationships are normal…" He glanced down at her smilingly, "why else do you think I am taking this so well? And, where do you think all the half-bloods or non-sacred twenty-eight purebloods come from? All the offspring from the unofficial families. It is also why most of the pure families usually only have one child, the heir. Except if the first child is female… if you do see families like the Parkinson's, then it's because one of two reasons; they were lucky enough to grow to love each other, or, the second child after the official heir was an accident."

Hermione frowned in confusion, "then why am I special? If illegitimate children are so common, why the fuss about me?"

Euan grinned at her, "because the other children are hidden better… usually, they are adopted out or most often they just come to school under the guise of being muggle born or the other parent being deceased. In your case, you were hidden from us and your mother didn't know the normal practices; so we couldn't do what was needed. But in honesty, our father is more family loyal than most… I believe he would have publicly claimed you in either circumstance."

She stayed silent as she processed the information, it was scary really, these sub-cultures that they had. Looking up she watched her father and mother interact, it seemed they were still very much in love. Hermione knew she would turn a blind eye and swallow her personal thoughts if it was what made her mother and father happy.

She nodded finally at her brother to indicate her understanding in these matters, she would have to learn and accept these archaic customs in the long run. As long as they didn't produce some arranged husband for her, that is.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Normally I am not one for excessive author notes… but the positivity that this fic is receiving has me almost gushing hehehe (I never gush FYI). _

_Thank you, everyone!_

 _Another matter, as this is an AU, there will be lots of things that prop up that are not canon… so if I write in scenarios around our Golden Duo of Gryffindor that did not happen… well, that is to be expected in this story as a Half-blood Slytherin Hermione also didn't happen canon lol._

 _Enjoy!_

 _18/11/16 – Sorry, not an update, just edited the last scene at the Quiditch pitch_

 ** _Chapter 6_**

The afternoon had passed too quickly for the young witch, her parents left just after two and she could feel their absence from the moment they disappeared up the revolving staircase back into the headmaster office to floo back. Leaving the two teenagers in the corridor alone to face the ensuing unpleasantness that was sure to be followed.

Not that they could do anything to lighten the burden for the teenagers; Hogwarts and its population of students were something they would have to face by themselves.

At least the truth of their familial ties did not estrange any of them. Rather, it seemed to forge an instant bond that Hermione was awed at. The immediate ease her brother had accepted the situation left a very deep impression on her; she would be loyal to the boy that was her brother through anything.

Her deep silence was interrupted when she felt Euan slinging a casual arm around her shoulders, "so when had I to find out your birthday _had been_ Thursday already?"

Rolling her eyes she reciprocated his movement by placing a tentative arm around his middle, the idea of more familiar interaction between them still very unfamiliar to her. She had only ever had her mother in her personal space before; except for Draco and his small familiar expressions.

"My mother did owl me a gift at breakfast time… so it wasn't a secret." Euan started walking, still keeping her next to him with his arm over her shoulders. Hermione let him lead her back to their common room in the dungeons while keeping her own tentative arm around him, looking on anyone could see there was something new now between the two. And if anyone really noticed, their resemblances were so close and completely undeniable with them so close together.

Hermione felt his light mood leaving him as they finally made it down to the dungeons, turning into the final corridor that led to the Slytherin dormitories he halted and dropped his arm to look at her. "Hermione, you know the school is already whispering right?"

Her normally mischievous brother was once more gone; it would be the second time in one day that he was another person than the boy she had known until only this morning. She swallowed and nodded, "yes… the whole school had watched us the whole time. I could, time again, actually hear some of the whispers when in close proximity to them."

"We will just have to be upfront. If we stay silent or deny, it will only escalate. Better be upfront and then it will be old news quicker." Hermione smiled warmly, "I know Euan, and I was prepared for this since the day I stepped onto the train three weeks ago. At least my mother will be writing to Molly Weasley… hopefully, her reputation is correct that she won't stand for Weasley's insulting behaviour –"

Euan smirked at her in his usual mischief, "that would be bloody brilliant! And if she does send a howler – that would be epic – "

"It would also distract a bit from our news… Mr – Father seems like he also was upset by it, but he didn't say anything and I don't know him well enough to read him yet…." She trailed of musingly, her thoughts back at the in-depth conversation they had during the course of the morning. She had admitted to the earlier confrontation with Weasley and Potter, and her mother had immediately stated that she would be writing to Molly Weasley anyway as she found the behaviour unacceptable. Her father had not spoken then, but she had felt a chill again as she saw his cold eyes and face with that conversation, he had only given another communicative look to Euan before asking her questions about herself once more.

Euan grinned almost a bit maliciously, "well… Father is a major benefactor at the Ministry – so big that a few Departments are completely dependent on the Fawley Galleons and back support – and Father has a very pleasant façade so he is well liked by just about all…" Hermione frowned in confusion as to where this was heading. "Let's just say, Arthur Weasley likes Father… so effectively your threat to the little Weasley wasn't empty, you just threatened with the wrong parent."

A giggle escaped her then; she could see her father being the concerned parent that goes to talk to a friendly acquaintance about his son's behaviour towards his daughter. Euan continued more seriously though before she could actually speak up again.

"Hermione, father has one – well two, really – rules. The first absolute; family pride and loyalty first. The second, we are not Slytherin for nothing; we must be smart and cunning and ambitious. It is how the Fawley name stays on top and proud. We rival that of the Malfoy family even. And when the House of Black was still in existence, we even rivalled them. Our three families were the top. Now the Fawleys' and Malfoys are on the top. We will remain on the top."

He locked his eyes deeply into hers and Hermione saw the other Euan for the third time that day; she somehow knew he would be just like their father one day. Warm and affectionate now, only then to be cold and dangerous the next. It really depended on who you were in their lives and what you did to them or their own. She had a feeling they were a lot more subtly dangerous than she thought Draco was. Although, she didn't know Draco's father so she couldn't really be sure how the Malfoy family operated, but Draco tended to be boastful and a bit too obvious. What she has been seeing with just her brother was a lot more subtle and completely hidden; she hadn't even realised there was another part of him than the open and mischievous teenager! And yet not only is there an obvious other part, but that part seemed to be obviously dangerous.

Her brother continued his family responsibility speech when he realised she would not say anything. "What I am saying is – people _like_ us. We make sure that they like us, they do not think of us as dangerous or the enemy. We are charming and even have the reputation of being _nice_ Slytherins…it is beneficial to maintain this façade, it makes our successes easier. We actually even have a second cousin in Hufflepuff; I will introduce you to him tomorrow."

The frown that marred her brow was very thoughtful, he didn't know it but he had answered the thoughts that had been on the surface; the reason why they were so warm and open and then suddenly so cold and serious. Looking at her brother she blinked, letting the seriousness of the charge he just gave her sink in.

"So, I must now make sure I maintain the family _modus operandi_? Be nice and likeable while working to achieve my goals in quiet using whichever means I need as long as our public personas are not questioned?" Hermione couldn't help feeling like the charge was somehow underhanded, but she did desperately want to please these new family members that she had just become a part of.

No one knew how alone she really had been her entire life, her mother was really her only light, but a child needs a father or father figure and she didn't have friends either, as in the Muggle School she was _odd_ and her mother kept her out of the wizarding world. So even though she had a momentary pause as to the ethical issues, it was quickly done away with using some of her natural logic. It was simple really, good manners equated nicely and there was nothing wrong with being ambitious and wanting to get far in life. And it was even better by being nice to people in the process.

Her frown dissipated as his expression also lightened once more to his usual open and naughty countenance. "Exactly little sis… it is that little strategy that is the reason for Arthur Weasley liking father and yet hating Mr Malfoy. Even though, father and Mr Malfoy are great personal friends and both Slytherin students from around the same years as Arthur Weasley who was a Gryffindor. And so, father sails through the Ministry whereas Mr Malfoy more often than not has to avoid certain departments."

She giggled again, but her brother only slung his arm around her shoulders once more and marched them the remainder of the way to their common room entrance. A naughty grin fixed on his face.

"Just follow my lead – up-front and casual – that is how we will handle this," he winked at her as the stone wall opened and they stepped inside to walk the narrow passage to the common room. As they stepped into the open common room a silence settled ominously. Hermione was aware that the arm around her shoulders tightened slightly before he led her forward and acting as if nothing untoward was going on.

He spoke animatedly to her as if nothing had distracted them, he also spoke a bit loudly and she realised with an internal grin that he was doing it on purpose. Sly. " – of course my mother would most likely have the Rose Room prepared for you, it would then be your permanent room at the manor. Don't worry, it's not pink – " he grinned at her as they sat down together on a couch in front of the fireplace, playing along she responded equally as animatedly to him.

"Thank goodness, will that then be my own personal room? I would like to make it homey… my room at home is lilac and I have pictures of my mum and me on the walls…"

Euan nodded in acceptance, they didn't look around them as they felt all the curious attention on them. "Of course little sis, it will be your room. I'm sure Father will let you decorate it as you please… I can't wait for the Christmas holiday… I wish you would stay the whole holiday, though – "

Hermione smirked; she liked this purposely staged conversation, although it was actually factual. They had already decided that she would spend half of the holidays there to get to know her father, and she was informed she would have her own permanent rooms there. Her only nervousness was her step-mother, yet her father had testified that she had been informed already of her existence and would not be a problem as her stance on family loyalty was also strong. He did add that she didn't have a choice in either case, so Hermione was left wondering how much she actually accepted it or forced to pretend to accept it.

"I won't, not spend time with my mum Euan… but the summer holiday I will be at the Manor for more than a month, so then you and father can then show me the whole family empire – " Hermione was cut off then by her only real friend, whom could obviously not keep quiet anymore.

"You're a Fawley? I thought you are a Granger – wait – your mysterious father is Mr Fawley!" Hermione almost laughed at the flabbergasted face of her pale friend, Draco stepped over to sink down into the opposite armchair.

She then pasted Draco's smirk on her face and nodded at him, yet her brother answered him with a very mischievous smile. "Yes, Draco… meet my little sis, our father acknowledged her today formally. I trust you know what this means?"

Hermione watched curiously as her pale friend seemed to pale, even more, he gulped heavily before he donned a very formal expression and nodded towards Euan. "Of course," he turned his gaze to her then, "Hermione – your invitation to my family's annual Halloween Ball will be formally re-addressed to include you with the Fawley Family."

She wanted to laugh at her friend as it seemed almost ridiculous, yet the slight elbow to her side from Euan stopped her. Looking at her brother she saw the meaningful look he gave her, obviously, something about the whole invitation thing was important. She wracked her mind to try and remember if she might have read something on it in the past; it was most likely some old pure-blood thing. Giving up when she couldn't recall anything from the top of her head she decided to respond with what she estimated to be the appropriate response.

"Yes, thank you Draco – although I am still Hermione Granger, though."

Her friend relaxed then and he smirked at her again, he sat back to obviously bask in the light as the first person to be in the conversation of the newly discovered Fawley; even though she was an illegitimate Fawley. But from what she discovered, if an illegitimate child was formally acknowledged then that child was on equal footing formally in social circles. But unfortunately, that didn't mean that there wouldn't be judgment and prejudice, well according to what her father told her earlier anyhow. She would just see for herself how it would go, judging from her experiences thus far, especially with the Gryffindors, she somehow knew that the add-on of being acknowledged now would maybe only strengthen certain bullying.

"Granger-Fawley then… however, it may, you can expect the amended invitation soon. So – " A grin fixed on his face, Draco sat forward again, " – what do you think of being part of our world now really?"

DMHG

It was that Tuesday, in the last full week of September, on which the anticipated moment came for the Weasley family disciplinary actions.

It was at breakfast time that the usual flurry of owls' descended, the commotion of mail being received and exclaimed over momentarily distracting everyone from their meals. Hermione smiled at the two folded letters that ended up in front of her from different owls, she recognised her mother's letter instantly. The other though was delivered by a majestic dark Eagle Owl, the handwriting heavy, yet firm. The seal she then saw was the Fawley family crest, her smile softened at the thought that she held the first ever letter to herself from her father.

Opening it she read the contents ardently; the letter was rather straight forward, as she had already realised her father's want was. It detailed some news about the family, he obviously wanted her included in all family matters, it also included that he had spoken to Arthur that very day. Hermione immediately lifted her eyes to narrow them at the Gryffindor table; a feeling of illicit satisfaction flaring inside her as she saw a red-faced Ronald Weasley reading a letter angrily.

Her Draco smirk was plastered all over her face as the ginger headed boy looked up furiously to catch her looking at him in her glee; she lifted her brow sardonically at him in order to mock him quietly further. As if sensing the undercurrent of something, Draco looked up from his usual box of chocolate frogs to glance at his friend calculatingly. Seeing her mocking gaze fixed on the Gryffindor table he followed her look, then he realised what was happening.

With his usual swagger, he quickly stood up and made his way to the Gryffindor table, Vince and Greg at his side as per usual.

Hermione could only roll her eyes when he spoke quite loudly as he reached the glorious duo, his voice carried over to their table quite easily.

" – of course Mr Fawley is my father's closest friend and as Hermione is my closest friend now – " His sentence trailed off as he let his eyes land on the scowling Weasley and furrowing Potter, his smirk was quite malicious. " – so Weasley, you can be quite glad you did not receive that howler… Hermione had to convince her _father_ to let you not be embarrassed. But I bet with that red face that you still got a good lashing in that letter for your slurs to Hermione –"

Smirking he returned to the Slytherin table, happy that the message had been clear to all; they had some power over Ronald Weasley.

Chuckling, Hermione resumed her reading. Her mother only sent her usual news and affections and Hermione felt the familiar warmth at the light sunny correspondence from her mum, her smile soft as she finished reading the letter.

Hermione was busy folding the letter again when she got pushed from behind as someone elbowed her hard that walked past; the jab was painful between her shoulder blades and it caused her to drop her letter into her bowl of oats with a painful oomph. A whispered 'bastard Fawley' followed the painful jab.

Draco immediately quietened in his usual boasting to narrow his gaze at whoever continued walking on behind them from over her shoulders. Then he met her brother's gaze who sat across from them, she saw her brother also frowned and between him and Draco they obviously communicated privately. With barely perceptible nods the two boys then resumed eating, yet neither spoke a word further.

DMHG

The following week closed with a Gryffindor fourth year boy and his friend that broke some bones and had to spend two days in the hospital wing as they had fallen down the Quidditch Pitch stands during a training session they had been viewing. Hermione only frowned as Draco, along with Alex and Euan re-joined her halfway during the session after having disappeared for the loo earlier.

It was only later that she found out about the incident, yet when she raised an enquiring brow, they only resumed talk about the tactics this year's Slytherin team would be using. She was impressed with the fact that Draco didn't boast once nor did he even ever admit to them having played any part in that incident.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: This is only a little filler chapter… mostly to lay a bit of further needed groundwork for later happenings. It is also to bond us a bit more with Hermione's mum as she is a very key character along with her dad._

 _And thank you so much for your kind reviews! I can't tell you how much it really warms my heart!_

 _Enjoy!_

 ** _Chapter 7_**

Jean had just returned home for the day when she heard the floo activate in the living room. She had connected her floo when Hermione started at Hogwarts almost two months prior, figuring that since they were now officially in wizarding society it would only be natural.

Jean also knew only two people that would visit her via the floo, and so with a smile, she walked to the living room. Her smile widened, even more, when she saw Xavier stepping out; his own stoic face instantly softened upon seeing her and Jean felt her stomach flutter when a slight smile lifted his features. They had been spending more and more time together in the last three weeks and Jean couldn't find it in her heart to mind it one bit. She and Xavier Fawley had always just been natural.

"Xav? This is a surprise!" Xavier quirked his brow at the old nickname, it would be the first time in almost thirteen years that he had been called that. She was the last person to.

"Just wanted to drop by Jean, also need to discuss some arrangements." Xavier sat down on the settee that had become his usual seat at her home, completely at ease.

Jean nodded and quickly summoned her usual ready-set guest tea tray; she sat down on her own usual chair and watched as the tray lowered itself on the centre table. "Well Xavier, you know you are welcome to visit – Tea?"

Xavier nodded and smiled fondly as he watched her prepare the tea manually, only using a heating charm to boil the water in the teapot. Jean chattered a bit while pouring for them, telling him of Hermione's habit of drinking tea without sugar; which she always knew came from Xavier. " – there really is so many things about her that come from you Xav… Sometimes I find it hard to see anything of me in her – "

Jean laughed good-naturedly at that, Xavier worried for a moment that she might be bitter about it, yet looking into her usually bright face he realised she, in fact, only found it more endearing.

"I don't know Jean… from what I've seen and heard so far, she is a kind girl. That is all you," Xavier pointed out with that small smile. But was surprised when Jean lost her smile, a momentary flicker of morbid worry flashed in her eyes. Yet before Xavier could even really comprehend it, it was gone and her usual smile in place.

Jean sat back to look at him as she held her tea cup and saucer daintily, "what arrangements did you want to discuss Xavier?"

Xavier took a sip from his own sugarless tea thoughtfully, "well, for the Malfoy Halloween Ball – Hermione received an official invitation with the Fawleys. I just want to make sure it will be fine that I collect her on the morning of Halloween, and return her that Sunday." Xavier smiled slightly again at Jean, seeing her nod of understanding. She obviously already knew of the whole Halloween ball. "It is already cleared with the school of course. She will then be meeting Lucinda naturally –"

Jean frowned then, Lucinda was at this moment her only cause of worry with the whole situation of Hermione and her father.

"Xav… I don't want Hermione to be hurt by her –"

Xavier nodded in understanding, "Lucinda won't. I'm not saying she will be warm and loving – that is not how the pureblood wives are raised to be – but, she does follow the standard expected of a pureblood society wife. That means she supports her husband and family, she respects them and does what is expected. Hermione is formally acknowledged, therefore she falls in that family sphere now."

Jean nodded, and then her face lightened once more. "Hermione is looking forward to the ball, her letters are referencing it all the more – will you take her to buy something appropriate to wear?"

Xavier smirked at Jean as he responded with a glint in his eyes, "Lucinda will… she knows what is appropriate and I thought it might be a chance for them to get more comfortable with each other… if you don't object naturally."

Jean shook her head in the negative, she didn't object. Then another thought surfaced which she felt the need to clear up; so with a small throat clearing and a fugitive glance at Xavier she spoke up once more.

"Promise me, that you won't go and bond Hermione into some old pureblood betrothal contract."

Xavier almost choked on his tea at her request, she was relieved to see he seemed genuinely shocked at the thought; indicating he hadn't thought of it…yet. She watched warily as he lowered his tea cup and saucer to the centre table carefully before meeting her gaze.

"I have no intention of burdening our daughter like that Jean – I have not even done that with Euan – It is quite simple for me… I was burdened in that manner, and therefore leave my children free to marry whomever they choose." She could see that Xavier seemed affronted at her suggestion, but she also knew she had a right to make the request and every reason to fear something like that in the first place.

She looked at him suspiciously, "are you telling me that if Euan wants to marry a muggle… he could?"

Xavier smiled at her indulgently, "yes. Jean… you knew my days of prejudice was gone when I fell in love with you. I could just not do anything about it as my father had already bound me in the contract with Lucinda. Don't misunderstand, though… if they marry muggles, they will be naturally sworn to secrecy about our world with unbreakable vows –" He cut off with a cold look, Jean didn't misunderstand. He won't stop it, but he would contain it. Even if any muggle children in law then stood the chance of dying by breaking unbreakable vows; as long as the sanctity of the wizarding world remained a secret. Xavier scared her, yet she would remain loyal to him regardless. He would never harm her and that she knew without a doubt. He would harm anyone that hurt her, though.

"So you won't use the power you now have as Hermione's legal parent to force her into anything?" Jean just had to make sure, although she had no reason to doubt his word. He had never broken his word to her before.

Xavier frowned; he knew what she referred to of course. "Jean… I know you feel wary, I received the copies as well, yet I promise you that you are still her primary caregiver and I will never take her from you. I will also never make her do anything she doesn't want to. You have my word, love…"

Her shoulders relaxed then, a load that has been resting on her for weeks now lifted finally. A soft smile ghosted her features at the old entendre from him; Jean met his eyes unabashedly then. "I missed you Xav –"

The words were hardly out or he was up and kneeling in front of her, his big hands taking her cup and placing it on the table as well before folding them around her hands. "Was the life I gave you really that bad Jean…?"

Her smile brightened perceptibly as she shook her head once more that evening. "No Xav, I didn't lie when I said I was happy… I knew how it worked and never regretted my choices. I really only left for Hermione's sake and safety."

Xavier nodded and smiled himself once more at her, still kneeling and holding her hand. "Will you ever consider coming back to that life… I mean now that Hermione knows and seems to accept?"

Jean searched his eyes probingly, "Xav – I could never say no to you. Still can't… It's why I left without facing you. I knew I wouldn't be able to leave if you asked me to stay – "

Xavier could barely hide the hope then, Jean saw it in his shielded eyes immediately. She had always been the only one that could see past his walls. Her heart beat was fast with the realisation that he still wanted her just as much as she wanted him. Even after all these years, he was still the only wizard for her. He was her addiction, her undoing and yet also her fulfilment. The very real danger that she knew he was, was also her personal safety. And in turn, she knew that she was his light, his salvation, the only person that could give him redemption from the darkness within.

So she found herself nodding vehemently at him, the only confirmation he needed as he instantly pulled her forward to press his lips to hers.

DMHG

The moonlight was shining through the thin gauzy curtains in the kitchen, bathing everything in a silvery light. The cottage was quiet in the middle of the night and no sound at all permeated the walls from the outside. Jean stood in front of the kitchen counter as she stared out of the gauze-curtained window, an open parchment lying open on the counter in front of her.

Thoughts were mulling in her head; thoughts she couldn't damp.

Something was coming, and that something would impact her daughter directly. Her thoughts whirled to the observation Xavier had made, he said Hermione was kind. Jean couldn't confirm it, as she knew the kindness Hermione displayed was just mimicking. Hermione mimicked her mother's behaviour as that was the only real exposure she had. Hermione herself didn't even know that she was mimicking... But Jean knew, she knew there was a certain darkness in her daughter. She knew now that her daughter wouldn't be mainly only exposed to her, that she would slowly start to all the more project her own true character. The sad part was, her character would be morphed even more with the rejection she was already receiving constantly at school.

Jean knew what her daughter was. Her daughter was a Fawley… and now a legal one as well.

And she knew that even though Xavier was open minded and not blood prejudiced, he was still dangerous. The Fawleys were dangerous. And their hate for blood traitors wasn't due to where that blood came from… it was a term given to any magical folk that betrayed their own kind. The Fawley's believed in the need for the secrecy of the wizarding world, they firmly believed that the danger of muggles was very real and they would do anything to keep them away.

Jean knew she couldn't change who her daughter is, she also knew that she couldn't change what would be. She could only love her daughter and support her through whatever course she chose.

Jean sighed as she realised that she should return to bed, the cold was seeping into her bones from her barefooted position on the cold tiles. With a last long look down at the open parchment, she returned to pad quietly back to her room to once more climb into the arms of her old love.

A single beam of moonlight lighted the writing of the parchment on the counter.

 _21 September 1991_

 _Notification Of Automatic Record Amendment_

 _Dear Miss Jean Anne Granger & Lord Xavier Graham Fawley,_

 _We herewith notify you that all birth and official records have been amended as per the claim stated verbally on Monday, September 9_ _th,_ _1991, 9:25PM at The Leaky Cauldron._

 _The claim was finalised at 10:12AM this morning of Saturday the 21_ _st_ _of September 1991 upon physical touch at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmasters Office._

 _Amendments Recorded (UNDERLINED):_

 _NAME: Hermione Jean Granger-_ _Fawley_ _(Confidentiality Clause Revoked 1_ _st_ _of September 1991)_

 _BIRTHDATE: 19_ _th_ _September 1979 at 12:25PM (Confidentially Clause Revoked 1_ _st_ _of September 1991)_

 _PLACE OF BIRTH: Maternity Ward, Fifth Floor, St Mungo's Hospital – London (Confidentiality Clause Revoked on 1_ _st_ _of September 1991)_

 _MOTHER: Jean Anne Granger (Confidentiality Clause Revoked on 1_ _st_ _of September 1991)_

 _FATHER:_ _Lord Xavier Graham Fawley_

 _MATERNAL HOUSE ASSOCIATION: Granger Cottage – No Formal Record for Family Granger (Confidentiality Clause Revoked on 1_ _st_ _of September 1991)_

 _PATERNAL HOUSE ASSOCIATION:_ _House of Fawley – Fawley Manor listed as Primary Family Seat_

 _BETROTHAL CONTRACT: None_

 _LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP:_ _Lord Xavier Graham Fawley_ _(As by Decree No. 15967 for all Claimed Biological Descendants of the Pure-Blood Familial Statute of 1687)_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Artho_ _Fernlucus – Record Keeper_

 _Hall of Records, Ministry of Magic_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N:_ _Thank you all! There is nothing like seeing another review posted hehehe!_

 _Okay, a question I received regarding Jean Granger; in this story, she is a Muggleborn Witch. She is basically what Hermione was in Canon. One of the reasons I have for this is quite simple, it would be the only way that a proud pureblooded wizard would get close enough to a 'muggle' to be able to actually sire a half-blood Hermione for my story. I do sincerely hope that I referenced enough till thus far in this story about Jean Granger and her history to not leave doubt about the fact that she is a witch in this AU._

 _If Jean Granger's story is still too vague, please tell me so I can concentrate some more on her past?_

 _Once again, Thank you so much for the response till thus far!_

 _This chapter and the next will revolve around Halloween, and then after these chapters_

 _there will most likely be two more that will revolve around the first year of Hogwarts. From there on, well… you will have to wait and read to see how our Hermione becomes what she is to become. Also, this story is about strong family bonds and loyalty, so that is the reason for the prominent bonds she forms with the various Fawley's._

 _And as always, Enjoy!_

 ** _Chapter 8_**

The day before Halloween had Hermione in a flat spin. She crammed in last minute school work in an attempt to make sure she didn't lose out on anything for the two days she wouldn't be attending classes. She was also high strung due to another incident that happened during the afternoon break. She had been sitting in the library while reading up on the next day's charms assignment, making sure she would have her punctuation correct in order to not have problems with her exams due to her not actually being present in the class.

Hermione had waited almost an hour outside of the teachers' lounge the other day to waylay each one of her teachers as they came out, asking them about the class coursework for her pending missing two days. They at first said that they would work the missing lessons into her next week assignments and that she could relax, but she had been insistent. Finally, they had owled her work.

Hermione furrowed her brow as she lifted her wand to actually practice the spell; she concentrated on the swish and flick for a few tries before then actually saying the incantation. " _Wingardium Leviosa…"_

With a satisfied _Draco_ smirk, she watched as her quill levitated from the table.

"Oh look… it's the _Fawley_ … Or is it Granger? Must be confusing," then a similar voice continued, "to not have a _name_ … what do you call your fathers _real_ wife? Mother? Mrs. Fawley?" the snickers then turned to guffaws as Hermione looked up to see who her newest tormentors were.

The last month has been a constant play of moments like these, mostly Gryffindor students who saw her as open game in their opposition house war. Hermione raised her brows at the two red-headed twins before her, obviously, it would be the havoc causing Weasley twins she surmised by herself. Then the _annoying_ duo stepped out from behind them.

With a sigh, Hermione lowered her floating quill slowly then made eye contact with the four Gryffindor students in front of her.

Before she could speak up, though, Ronald Weasley stepped forward with his dopey grin, which she assumed were supposed to be malicious, and waved his wand threateningly at her. "So you think you can levitate now… let me show you. _Wingardium Leviosaa!"_

Hermione stifled a giggle; obviously, they had stood watching her long enough to hear her say the enchantment. She noticed the eye rolls of the older twins at their younger brother's very obvious failed attempt. Then she quietened herself and raised her wand daintily once more.

"If you're quite finished Weasley… you are pronouncing it incorrectly. The 'gar' must be long – "

Her voice was crisp and prim, the exact replica she used when tutoring Vince and Greg, her teacher's voice as Draco would constantly tell her. She saw as Weasley flushed scarlet, not a big dear with his normally freckled and ruddy complexion.

"You are a nightmare, Granger! Honestly! I'm sure you've seen that you have no friends – besides Malfoy, which explains itself – a real know-it-all and up to no good Slytherin!" Hermione felt anger boiling up with his words.

She knew she wasn't the overly social sort, but it wasn't as if she felt the need for more friends! She was happy with Draco, and the companionship she received from her brother and Alex and even Pansy was more than enough to cater to her social needs. And her tutoring of Vince and Greg helped with her need to be in charge and better than others, at least by seeing to that need in the form of tutoring made sure something good came of it as well. She kept to the rules, so how could he say she was an 'up to no good Slytherin'?

The unfairness of it all washed over her; Hermione realised that no matter what, Slytherin would always be pulling on the coattails when it came to being judged fairly. No wonder Slytherin sorted students all tended to be even slyer; it was the only way to get anything for themselves.

So she stood up, then closed her books and packed them pointedly into her book bag, all the while keeping her eyes cold and expressionless. By the time she slung her bag over her shoulder, the students in front of her seemed decidedly less sure of themselves. She finally stepped in front of them and rested her eyes on them coolly.

"At least I know the entirety of Slytherin House has my back, no matter what. How loyal would you be Weasley, if push comes to shove? How loyal would Gryffindor House be, if you should lose… say thirty points?" She let her eyes rake slowly over the other three before resting once more on the younger Weasley. "I think they will be angry with you… Gryffindor is after all ruled by their emotions."

Then she shoved past him roughly, content when she heard his stance falter in order to regain his balance, yet she heard Potter's voice speaking up behind her; intent in getting in the last word. " – glad I didn't get into Slytherin… seems everyone is right. Slytherin always goes bad – "

DMHG

Hermione's jaw twitched nervously as she lugged her trunk down the stairs from her dormitory the next morning. Today would be a big day…

Her father had written to her that Lucinda Fawley would take her to Diagon Alley first thing to shop for an appropriate robe for that evening's ball at the Malfoy's. And she was positively trembling with the fear of meeting the formidable witch she knew was the wife of her father. Hermione didn't know much of Lucinda, just the snippets from stories that Euan would tell her, he was very fond of his mother and didn't talk as if there were any gaping holes in their relationship. And well, Hermione knew it was _normal_ for them to lead separate lives, but she couldn't think that any woman would welcome their husbands' love child into their home. Hermione had been surprised to learn that Daphne Greengrass was Euan's cousin; apparently, Lucinda was the sister to Daphne's father. Lucinda Greengrass, she had been, a nice pureblood witch for a nice pureblood wizard.

Hermione reached the bottom, Euan then smiled at her comfortingly as he took a hold of her trunk in his free hand. She wanted to protest, yet snapped her mouth closed when she saw his eyebrow rising in a dare to manner. "Ready little sis?"

Hermione managed to roll her eyes at him but was interrupted by the arrival of all the other students that would be leaving for the Halloween weekend as well. She was surprised to see various other older students as well. Obviously, it was really common for the older families to request their children for certain events.

Somehow everyone managed to leave the common room and traipse the many corridors to the headmaster's office, they would floo from there to their various destinations. Euan lugged both his and Hermione's trunks, but he chattered happily with Alex which hinted that it didn't bother him to carter his sister's trunk around. Hermione followed behind them with Draco at her side.

" – you will love the Manor, Father has white Peacocks! He breeds with them; their bloodlines are prised all over the world! It's a shame you won't be staying with us anymore… mother had loved the idea to ready the Lilac room for you. But you're a Fawley now – " Hermione shot her friend a sharp look, " – alright, alright… you are a Granger – but as you are part of the Fawley family, you must stay with them. It is only proper."

They arrived then at the gargoyle corridor, and with light hearts, all the assembled students started the journey up the rotating steps to floo to their homes; no one really noticing that Hermione was completely riddled with tension at the upcoming meeting with a witch she was positive should hate her.

DMHG

Hermione felt her feet landing on solid ground once more, she took a moment to steady herself before opening her eyes to take in her destination. She saw Euan as he stood next to a very formally robed witch, who's arm was around his shoulders, and her father who stood next to the fireplace where she had just landed in. Hermione took a deep breath before stepping out carefully but was pleasantly surprised when her father immediately pulled her into a tight embrace.

Her small arms circled his waist carefully as she held him as well, taking in his scent; a comforting mixture of sandalwood and parchment. They had corresponded a lot in the last month, and she felt closer to him already she realised. "Welcome to Fawley Manor, my girl…"

Hermione pulled back to beam up at the wizard, then her father looped his one arm around her shoulders to turn and face the other occupants together. She felt comforted by the gesture, somehow having her father holding her to his side to face his wife made her feel more confident.

Xavier cleared his throat as they faced Lucinda Fawley. Hermione took the moment to study the other witch. She was dressed in semi-formal robes of deep ruby, which accentuated her fair skin and light brown hair perfectly. Her eyes were also a dark, almost violet, blue. Her cheek bones were high and aristocratic, her jaw sharp and her nose aquiline. She was tall and perfectly stately. Hermione had only one thought, Lady. Everything about Lucinda Fawley was poised and grace; she was beautiful. She shifted uncomfortably under her father's arm. Somehow, she felt very inadequate at that precise moment. And she could see nothing of her own mother's warm, frank and open face, Lucinda was wearing the same mask that she herself had been cultivating since starting at Hogwarts. Immovable. That was the expression; she seemed immovable.

As if sensing the growing trepidation in his daughter, Xavier walked them forward while still keeping his arm securely around her shoulders. "Lucinda, please meet my daughter, Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is my wife, Lucinda Fawley – "

Hermione dipped her head in what she had learned from Pansy was the appropriate manner to formally acknowledge a superior in these circles. Circles that would be hers now as well. She saw Lucinda give her the return nod, indicating that she acknowledged her as welcome. Then she actually had the remnant of a smile tugging at her mouth corner, to the pure surprise of Hermione. Lucinda stepped forward and held out her arm in the invitation for Hermione to take. She felt her father give her shoulder a gentle squeeze before pushing her forward.

Hermione tentatively hooked her arm through the other witch's' with a nervous look over her shoulder to her brother and father. "Come on dear, let me show you to the Rose Room. Pokey has already taken your trunk up, she will be your assigned elf – "

Lucinda led her through the corridors that led to the official family wing, showing her various items of prominence. Mostly portraits of Fawley's past, though, she also included mention of a few cursed objects that was to be found in the old Manor house. Hermione stopped in front of a certain portrait that caught her eye; it was a witch that was smiling at her in a welcoming fashion. Her dress seemed to be from in the era of regency England, although that could not indicate anything as she knew most old pureblood witches preferred older styled dresses still. Even she had to admit she liked the corset dresses. The witch in the portrait looked almost exactly like her, same wild curly hair, same brown eyes; only her bone structure seemed to be a square strong version she associated with Euan and her father.

"No doubt that you are a Fawley… welcome to the family dear. We Fawley's have always loved to acknowledge our illegitimate biological descendants." The witch in the portrait had a sing-song voice, and her smile had turned mischievous, reminding Hermione uncannily of Euan. Charm was definitely a Fawley trait she surmised.

She smiled at her almost look-alike uncertainly, aware that Lucinda stood silently next to her as she conversed with the portrait. "Er – thank you – ?"

She lifted a questioning face to the witch next to her; Lucinda immediately supplied her with the needed information. "Beatrice Lisbeth Fawley. She is your Great-great Aunt. She was known for her own – relations – with a muggle man. They had a daughter, Beatrice Annie Fawley."

Hermione noticed how the portrait witch had a momentarily sad expression flashing across her face. Then she spoke again, although sombrely. "She was a squib… I had to give her up so her father could raise her – Meaning, I gave him up as well."

Hermione turned from the portrait then to follow her stepmother further, she couldn't fathom how a family that was prone to 'muggle-loving' could have remained pure, and listed on the sacred twenty-eight. As if sensing her thoughts, Lucinda spoke up as she pushed open the white painted, gold edged double doors, which led into her room.

"Because, the Fawley's would always marry the assigned witch or wizard. The assigned would always be from impeccable pureblood lineage, therefore the actual heir and direct Fawley line are always pureblood. All muggle dalliances are kept on the side." She spoke coolly as she led Hermione inside, the room was exquisite, and all the furniture was white painted wood, with gold edging.

The wood was carved with roses, the roses and leaf edgings also dusted with gold, and the materials were in fact not pink, but a soft red. Hermione had kept imagining pink every time Euan would talk of the Rose room, but she was glad it was red instead. She had never been a pink kind of girl. Lucinda continued speaking, not giving Hermione a chance to respond.

"Although, Beatrice was a rebel Fawley – us female Fawley's aren't afforded the luxury of birthing children to our _lovers_ – that privilege remains with the males. Beatrice never married either. She grew old here in the Manor." Lucinda turned around at the windows, she smiled at Hermione, although Hermione could not determine if the smile was practiced politeness or her version of welcoming. She felt slightly uncomfortable with the mention of the female Frawley's', momentarily wondering if Lucinda was bitter and would she be taking it out on her?

But Lucinda surprised her then, "you can call me 'Stepmother'. It is the appropriate address in this situation. Also –"

Hermione frowned in question as Lucinda broke off mid-sentence to look out of the wide French window, "I quite look forward to having a daughter figure in the manor – like I said, we females aren't allowed children besides the heirs."

With an uncertain smile, Hermione nodded at the regal witch, realising that maybe the mask also only hid some pain and uncertainty, the like which Hermione was attempting to hide behind her own mask. "Alright… stepmother – that would be acceptable."

Lucinda then did smile truly, which turned out to be a beautiful smile Hermione realised. "Alright – Hermione – please settle in, Pokey will introduce herself, and I think we can leave for Diagon Alley in an hour. Pokey will direct you to the living room where I will wait for you."

DMHG

An hour later Hermione apparated on the arm of her stepmother to Diagon Alley; it was her first ever apparition as her own mother had never needed to do it with Hermione. She preferred using portkey when Hermione had needed to travel along.

The morning was pleasant enough, Lucinda maintained her regal composure, yet Hermione now started to study her 'tells'. She realised soon enough that Lucinda had her own aches and story, and she only needed to be an attentive 'daughter' to get the older witch to soften perceptively. After visiting Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Lucinda decided they needed to go to the best. Something muttered along the lines of, "a Fawley always gets the best".

And that was how she had ended up in Twilfitt and Tattings.

When they left the shop Hermione was feeling exhausted, but she knew the dress she got was worth it. She had an emerald green velvet dress. Her stepmother had decided that the green was the best, not only did it promote house pride, but she had exclaimed that the green absolutely brought out her soft brown Fawley eyes and hair. Hermione had to agree, once she had put on the dress, the colour had completely enraptured her. It had cap sleeves and a high square neckline, the high empire waistline was defined with a sparkling silk silver sash that tied with an elaborate bow behind her back. The green velvet dress then puffed out from the waist down to her calves, the appropriate length for a young girl of formal lineage. Or so Lucinda had informed her. She had also informed her that once she was older, then her evening dresses would go down to her feet, and a slit would be allowed should it keep to an appropriate height of just above the knee. She would also be allowed shorter dresses once older, for in the daytime. But they would only be allowed to reach right above her knees, four fingers, Lucinda had said. The same height as their current school uniform skirts.

So it was completely understandable that Hermione was tired, not only had they shopped and fit, but she had to take in a constant set of do's and don'ts in the pureblood aristocratic society. She was quite fond of the idea to return to the manor and sleep for the afternoon till it was time to get ready for the ball.

But when they exited the shop, Lucinda stopped to smile at her again; every time the older witch smiled genuinely at her she would momentarily gape. It was a bit surreal for Hermione. "Why don't we eat a quick ice cream at Florean Fortescue's? you can choose whatever you want –"

Hermione nodded, she thought that was an excellent idea! If only to rest a few minutes, and who was she kidding? She loved ice cream. "That would be great stepmother!"

It was as they were sitting on the porch, beneath a brightly coloured umbrella, while Hermione ate her caramel flavoured cone that the flash of a camera went off in their faces. Blinking rapidly in shock, Hermione turned surprised eyes on the man taking pictures next to them, a blonde curly-haired witch next to him. She had horned rimmed glasses and a notepad was in her hands, a quill scratching away by itself on it. "Mrs. Fawley, is this the newly acknowledged Fawley descendant? How would you describe your relationship with her?"

Hermione gaped, she never expected something like this.

But her stepmother remained poised, she smiled indulgently at the reporter in front her while resting a hand on top of Hermione's free one.

"Hello Miss Skeeter, yes this is Hermione Granger-Fawley. Our relationship is completely amicable… in fact, she is the daughter I always wished for. Now, please excuse us – this is a family outing which we want to enjoy in peace – also, please make sure my husband finds nothing _unsatisfactorily_ in your article. I do hate it if he is angry… it is so rare, yet when it happens – " Her stepmother trailed off heavily, a deep sigh escaping her lips.

Hermione could only stare open-mouthed, she was quite positive that Lucinda had just threatened the reporter, although, she had no idea why as of yet. She realised once more, the family she had found herself in, seemed to be very pleasant, yet quietly dangerous.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Chapter 9_**

They returned to the manor by one, and Hermione was very much looking forward to a quick nap in her room. Yet, once more, she was to be disappointed. It seemed that the family believed they needed at least five hours to be made ready for a gala. Well, at least for the females.

And so Hermione was disturbed with a quiet pop just past two that afternoon, she had not even laid down yet, just having finished exploring her suite and talking a bit with her brother. He had come to see if she was okay, and then told her that her suite was next to his and opposite the parents, or, her parent in either case. Her suite was the designated suite for the eldest daughter, meaning it had once been Beatrice's suite as well. Hermione felt warm with that knowledge, it meant she was the official 'daughter' then in a sense. She didn't admit her warm feelings to Euan though, she attempted at all times to maintain the expected decorum.

Hermione looked to where she heard the pop, not surprised to see Pokey standing there and fidgeting with her hands. Hermione nodded tentatively at the elf, which the elf took as permission to address her.

"Young mistress… Mistress is requesting yous presence in her suite –"Hermione frowned at the elf, "why Pokey?"

The elf glanced at the door before answering, "young mistress must be making ready for the gala with mistress…"

Hermione then realised what she meant, so with a nod again, she left the room and proceeded to the double white doors opposite her rooms from the corridor. Hermione knocked tentatively and pushed the doors open only after she was bid enter by her stepmother. Upon entering she was surprised to see the room was decorated in toffee and caramel colours, it was warm and, if not welcoming, at least comfortable. Hermione saw Lucinda standing inside another door, only a silk robe around her body.

Smiling, she addressed Hermione, "welcome to my rooms. Your father's rooms are trough the other door on my left, across from our shared sitting room. But now, we should be getting ready."

Hermione walked inside slowly as she closed the doors behind her again, looking at the other closed door she had indicated while speaking to her. Hermione nodded at her wide-eyed as she came to a standstill next to the vanity table with the myriad of mirrors from every angle. "Isn't it too early stepmother?"

Lucinda still smiled at her, but then shook her head firmly in denial. "No, Hermione. You will see yet, being a lady is exhaustive. And we Fawley ladies have high expectations that we must adhere to. Now, time to buff and exfoliate – Pokey!"

DMHG

Hermione fidgeted as they landed with a pop, her father lets go of her then from where she had side-along with him. Euan had side-along with his mother, she felt them next to her as they all straightened their robes and gowns after the apparition. Hermione looked up at the open gates in front of them, she saw a big letter "M" that was currently split down the middle due to the open gates. A Carriage stood to wait in front of them, and without realising it, Hermione's father took hold of her elbow and led them to climb into the carriage. She frowned in confusion at the fact that the carriage seemed to be charmed to pull itself as there were no horses.

"You will see next year, Hogwarts also have horseless carriages, little sis…" Euan smiled from where he sat across from her next to Lucinda, Hermione frowned in question up at her father, who sat next to her.

He gave a slight smile down at her before answering her unvoiced question. "Thestrals. The carriages are drawn by Thestrals. I won't tell you more daughter, I believe you will go read up on it tomorrow at the Manor library."

Hermione grinned and nodded, "yes, I will father… in Fantastic Beasts perhaps? Or -"

DMHG

The Fawleys were announced formally upon entrance at the ballroom, Hermione blinked in surprise at the pure old-fashionedness of the pure-blood wizarding world. It all came straight out of muggle Victorian aristocracy times. And before she could even step a foot further after being announced, Draco appeared next to her with his smirk.

She returned his smirk with her own adopted one, and then he surprised her further by bowing over her hand and kissing it. She had to stifle a giggle at her friend and instead curtsied back. Lucinda had already grilled her in the wizarding customs the whole afternoon.

She had also informed her that a wizard would bow in greeting to a witch, but would only kiss her hand when he formally acknowledged her as his cohort for the event. And so she expected the hand he placed on her elbow as he led her away from her family and into the throngs of the guest. The whispers followed the young teenagers as they chattered and laughed together, everyone knew she was the newly acknowledged, yet ultimately still, illegitimate, Fawley.

Hermione loved the ball. She loved everything about it, the glamour and the expressiveness. She met Draco's father and mother, she immediately saw that Lucinda and Narcissa were fast friends but also birds of a feather. Both were strictly born and raised in upper pure-blood society, both married their arranged partners and both fulfilled their duty. But Narcissa and Lucius had a certain warmth between them that her father and his wife lacked, she had a feeling they might actually have fallen in love with their arranged spouses at some point. Draco took her on a tour of the Manor and showed her their library, which she naturally didn't want to leave again. But, by then their classmates had found them and dragged Hermione out and away, much to her discontent. Yet, she knew it wasn't the place or the time for her to lock herself in the library, so she allowed them to drag her away in a good sense.

When they were outside on the patio with their friends, Hermione noticed white peacocks strutting around. She studied them for a moment and then started to giggle, the other teenagers turned to look at her frowningly. Hermione calmed down and smirked at Draco, "when I see those white peacocks, I realised of what you and your father remind me off…"

Draco's face morphed to disgust as he realised where she was headed, but before he could stop her she bit it out amidst the laughter of their classmates. "Peacocks! You both strut around like peacocks! No wonder you keep them… your spirit animal Draco?"

Hermione sat smirking at her friend, whom now sat sputtering at a loss for words. But when he did respond, it didn't surprise any of them with what. "Hermione! Wait until I tell my father! He will not be happy with your impression of us."

He folded his arms across his chest to pout sulkily, Hermione then patted his arm in supposed comfort. "If you tell your father then he will take it up with mine… I'm not worried then."

Everyone laughed at them, her words clearly hinting at her father giving her differential treatment and therefore she can do as she pleased. Hermione wouldn't tell them that she actually, in truth, suspected that her father would not have scruples in disciplining her if the need arose. After a while, the young witches went inside to join their female family members as custom dictated. Hermione found Lucinda in a conversation with Narcissa, in an alcove that led from the dancefloor, they didn't notice her approach and Hermione took the moment to study the two stately witches. They were in a serious discussion she saw, both sporting calculating expressions; a shiver ran down her spine. Somehow their combined calculatingly faces gave her cause for alarm.

The witches noticed her finally, and both smiled formally at Hermione as she came to sit with them on the bench. Narcissa, especially, looked at her contemplatively. "Hermione dear girl, Draco speaks very fondly of you."

Hermione smiled at Narcissa, a bit tentatively, what was she supposed to respond to that observation? She glanced covertly at her stepmother, whom only nodded at her approvingly. So, she fixed the smile more firmly in place before facing the blonde witch.

"He is my best friend Mrs. Malfoy, although he can be a tad hard work." She said the last with a small and mischievous smile at the older witch; glad when she saw her chuckling in understanding.

Narcissa then smiled more warmly at her; obviously, she had passed some unvoiced test. "Yes, my son is a bit _spoiled_ …He needs someone with a firm hand, I think… perhaps you two will remain great friends."

Hermione saw the look and affirmative nods between Lucinda and Narcissa; that shiver came again. Yes, they were up to something definitely.

DMHG

The next day was a dead day at Fawley Manor. They had only returned at the early morning hours, around about after two, and it seemed to be the general consensus that everyone sleep in till well into the afternoon. Even Hermione had to admit she welcomed it, as a young girl she wasn't really used to late nights. Her version of a late night was at the most at eleven pm, so she was exhausted that Friday.

She finally appeared for lunch at one, although taking in her family members, she surmised it looked more like breakfast. Her stepmother was dressed in her semi-formal robes and looked every inch the impeccable lady; she didn't look like she had a late night dancing and consuming wine. But Hermione could see the slightly red eyes, indicating perhaps a hangover? She had never seen a hangover, though; her mother never had late nights and never drank more than two glasses of wine. But she was well read, and the kids at school talked a lot, so she knew what went for what. Her father on the other hand obviously adopted a more casual approach at home. He was sitting there in what was obviously his pajamas and dressing robe, reading the Daily Prophet while munching a piece of toast. His hair was mussed and his jaw was unshaven, and his feet sported slippers. She grinned at the sight, feeling more relaxed instantly.

Euan was likewise still in pajamas as well, his curly hair unruly just like hers and standing in all directions. He was stifling a yawn as he was pouring a mug of coffee. Upon her entrance both males smiled at her, Euan laughing at her attire. She was dressed in muggle jeans and a jumper, having decided it would be the safest course of action as she had no idea how the family dressed in daytime and mealtimes in general.

"Well little sis, you're definitely better at the morning after than me and dad. Except for mum of course…" he shot a glance at his mother with a grin before continuing. "I have never seen her dressed in anything less outside of her own room. Dad and I have no idea how she manages it… we have theories, though –"

Euan dropped his voice into an execrated whisper as he looked pointedly at Lucinda, Hermione had to chuckle as she sat down at her place. They were in a small family dining room; the table only seated four, one on each side. She was opposite Euan.

Lucinda scoffed at her son, "manners at the dining table Euan. And it is not appropriate to mock your mother – but do tell, what are your newest theories?"

Hermione almost gasped, this was the most relaxed she had seen Lucinda yet, she was smiling contentedly and looking warmly at her son. Euan instantly launched into a parody of their latest theories with an obvious playful voice tone.

"Well mum… dad was thinking that you most certainly must be an unregistered Metamorphmagus… at least that would explain why you always look so … healthy and beautiful, even with a full hangover." He stopped to wink at Hermione and she watched as her father grinned over the paper while nodding in affirmation. "And I, well my latest is quite simply… you're a vampire mum! Who somehow managed to achieve daytime walking –"

Lucinda laughed then and then blew a playful air kiss at her son before returning her attention to a magazine which Hermione recognised as the Witch's Weekly. After that everyone spends a few minutes eating their breakfast sans lunch, Hermione watched her father, then noticed a frown on his face as he read something. She wasn't surprised when he lowered the paper to speak with them.

"I see Skeeter accosted you yesterday." Hermione glanced at her stepmother, warily noticing that she smiled serenely at the mention before responding politely. "I trust she didn't publish anything unsavoury Xavier?"

Her father then chuckled and lifted the paper once more to continue reading. "Of course not, it is a lovely piece describing your moment of bonding. The picture is quite charming as well."

Hermione heard the veiled sarcasm even as young as she is, yet she knew it wasn't directed at her or Lucinda, merely to the wizarding population at large.

DMHG

The weekend flew by. The Saturday was spent in the company of only her father. He had declared they needed time by themselves. So her Saturday was spent with him at the family company, he gave her an in-depth tour, and then they had lunch together at some restaurant in Diagon Alley. Hermione loved every moment. Her father was a brooding man, yet charming and truly warm towards her. She felt the bond between them strengthening every minute that passed.

The Sunday they floo'd back to Hogwarts early, the return time having already been booked the prior week. So it was that all the students who left for the weekend trudged back tiredly together once more. Some chattering, but in general they were all exhausted. Hermione was next to Draco again, and Euan again lugged her trunk with his free hand while catching up with Alex Parkinson.

That night as everyone was converging in the great hall for dinner, Draco plopped down next to her excitedly. Hermione turned to look at him, noting the malicious smile as he looked at her expectantly.

"Alright, spill it Draco. What did you find out?" She raised her brow at him, waiting for whatever made his world go round now.

Draco took a gulp of his pumpkin juice, obviously trying to let the expectation built. "Gryffindor lost twenty points on Halloween! And Ravenclaw lost ten as well –"

Hermione frowned, excitement budding now inside of her as well. "Potter and Weasley? And who at Ravenclaw?"

Draco smirked, "yes, apparently, they went after the troll that got into the castle! And it was a second year Ravenclaw that was with them, Chang or something I believe…"

Hermione coughed on the piece of roast she had swallowed just as he spoke, tremulous eyes then landed on her friend. "A troll? A troll came into the castle? How did that happen!"

Draco nodded ostentatiously, obviously thoroughly enjoying being the one to impart this scandalous knowledge to her. "Yes, I can't wait to tell my father. He will definitely report this to the rest of the governors."

Hermione frowned in contemplation, letting Draco absorb himself in the regaling of his tale to the rest of their classmates. She had the niggling feeling that something more was going on, and she wanted to know what it was. Her father had confided that he was also on the board of governors, he just didn't advertise it as the Malfoy's did, so she was sure that whatever was going on that the governors didn't know about it. Yes, she had to find out what was happening at school, because her father would definitely want to know if irregularities were happening.

DMHG

Hermione followed the annoying duo after dinner, making sure they didn't realise it. She wasn't surprised when she followed them right to the third-floor corridor entrance. They only stood looking at the door, and within minutes a girl joined them. Hermione deduced from her Ravenclaw attire that she was the Chang girl.

Hermione sidled closer to hear what they were talking about, glad that they didn't whisper. " – so you definitely think it's Professor Snape, Harry?" Hermione frowned at the girl's inquiry, "Yes – his leg was injured that night the troll came in, he definitely tried to go after whatever Professor Dumbledore is guarding in the castle –" Her curiosity now peaked even more, she knew it! " – but Harry mate, why did Professor Quirrell then find the troll first?" She listened in earnest, she didn't like their DADA professor, he was weak, but he also creeped her out. Although, she would never utter any disrespect for a teacher out loud. "I think he knows Snape is after it, I think he is watching Snape himself… Perhaps Snape wanted the troll to get Quirrell –"

Hermione wanted to scoff, was the boy so idiotic? If anyone was after anything in this school illegally, it wouldn't be the Professor that had been teaching here for ten years. It would be the new and unknown teacher with the dubious background. And besides, Professor Snape might be snarky and even blatantly unfair to Gryffindor, but he was an excellent teacher and it was quite obvious that the Headmaster respected him. No, she quite firmly made the logical conclusion that Quirrell should be the one watched…

With another frown she listened as the duo said goodbye to their Ravenclaw friend, she wondered how this friendship had developed but decided it was the least of her interest. After ensuring the duo was far gone she left her hiding place, she gave the closed door a hard long stare before turning around to return to the dungeons.

That night Hermione mulled the thoughts around her mind as she lay in her bed. She would wait before she wrote to her father; first investigate the matter a bit further. She will get Draco involved as he loved spying on the annoying duo, he wouldn't know the full reason as he still tended to talk too much, though. Hermione settled more comfortably in her bed, happy with her plan, she closed her eyes and let herself drift off into a dreamless sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: Treat Time!_

 _Three updates over this weekend to make up for the lack of one last weekend… but in truth, the inspiration struck and I couldn't stop writing lol!_

 _This is just a filler chapter to connect the beginning of year one and the end together, as most of the year one story plays off till Halloween and in the last week._

 _Enjoy!_

 ** _Chapter 10_**

The weeks rolled by ceaselessly, Hermione watched as the Quidditch season kicked off with mild interest. It held no lure for her and she could honestly not understand what all the fuss was about especially Draco. He practically worshiped the sport.

The Gryffindor game made headlines, Potter's broom was jinxed. Hermione was no idiot, she instantly swivelled her gaze to Quirrell, not surprised to see him muttering into the air while keeping eye contact. Yet she did not intervene, she had no interest in meddling. She was surprised though when she realised that Professor Snape was obviously attempting a counter curse, and scoffed in irritation when Chang set his robes on fire while Weasley obviously prodded her to do it. It did serve to break Quirrell's curse, though.

But Hermione kept her distance; she wrote all this to her mother but had asked that she not tell her father. Call it some complex, but she wanted to impress her father, so she didn't want to tattle some half-formed theories to him. She wanted to present a thorough case study with facts and evidence – without directly meddling into the Potter and Weasley escapades – to her father, she wanted him to be proud of her. She had a terrible pleaser personality after all; it was why she already had the nickname as 'teachers' pet'. Even the other professors had a hard time not liking the Slytherin student with the eager to please and excel personality.

But not everything was easy at school. The war between Gryffindor and Slytherin was increasing. Students were in a constant roll in and out of the infirmary, students from both houses alike. And other students were constantly plotting the demise and next incidents. Slytherin, especially, became very adept at the covert warfare. Hermione likened it to the muggle 'guerrilla' warfare type. The Gryffindors were brash and tended to act with their emotions fist, so their war type was more of the 'open and charge' variety. Points deductions and detentions became the norm, then prefects would award points for every little thing to their housemates in order to salvage lost points again. Both houses were guilty on this tactic. Hermione became the butt of ridicule all the more. When she wasn't called a bastard, then she was bullied for being a Slytherin. They would always say that every Slytherin was a no good that turned bad. Hermione didn't know which was worse anymore. She started withdrawing some more, preferring to only keep to Draco and her brother's company; although she did still interact friendlily with her other housemates.

The Christmas holidays couldn't come quick enough for her, especially since she took a stray hex that made her trip and fall down some stairs. She knew it had come from a fifth year Gryffindor, he had called her a filthy Slytherin bastard before the hex was shot. Yet he ran off and made sure someone gave him an alibi, so Headmaster Dumbledore vaguely implied that she was 'perhaps imagining things as is the wonderful capability of young minds in need of adventure'. It was the first time she had spoken face to face with the elusive Headmaster, and only because Professor Snape and McGonagall had ended up in a fight over the hospital bed in which she was lying. She had decided that he spoke too much in riddles and would therefore not be trusted by her.

It was as she was home the first night that she mentioned the incident to her mother, in full belief that the school would have reported it, that her mother gasped in shock. It came out that the school had not reported the incident at all to her mother. After a floo call to her father, it was confirmed that he didn't get a report either.

Hermione watched as her normally happy mother pursed her lips in a thin line, yet she had to commend her, she didn't utter one negative thing about the Headmaster out loud.

Hermione enjoyed her week with her mother, and her father had spent a lot of time with them as well. She loved the time the three of them spend together; they even took family pictures of them together. Christmas day was spent at Fawley Manor. Hermione was very surprised when she learned that her mother and Lucinda had started up a tentative acquaintance, apparently, Lucinda didn't want to step on her mother's toes and therefore wanted to make sure they are in accord in regards to the relationship she is building with Hermione. Naturally, Jean Granger has never been known to be selfish or irrational; so she encouraged any positive relationship between stepdaughter and stepmother. And as Hermione was now a shared daughter, it was decided that holidays, like Christmas, would be spent together.

It was awkward for all of half an hour, and then Euan and Hermione managed to break the careful atmosphere by telling Jean about the theories regarding Lucinda's always perfect state of dress and looks. Lucinda scoffed at them, but afterward, the three adults conversed freely. Hermione took note that her father didn't bestow any untoward affection on either witch, treating them both as respected friends. She couldn't really imagine how he did that, sitting between his wife and mistress – whom both knew perfectly about the other's position – and truly not disrespecting neither the woman he loves nor the woman he calls his wife. It was just a bit too much for her, so she preferred to not think about it.

The second week of the holidays she spent at the Manor. Her father took her on extended visits to some of their other houses and estates, as well as taking her and Euan on trips with him to the office. She wasn't naïve; he was grooming her just as much as Euan, to become very involved in the family business. She didn't mind. She had also met the 'family friend' Stephan, and somehow seeing and meeting the wizard that she knew was Lucinda's love, made it a bit easier to afterward see her mother and father together. Somehow she now knew there truly was someone whom Lucinda loved and that she truly wasn't some closet jealous wife and stepmother. In fact, Hermione saw the same warmth in her eyes when she interacted with that wizard, as when she interacted with her son. And Stephan was fun, she could see quite soon why Euan referred to him as a favourite 'uncle', he actually snuck them forbidden sweets and Zonko's products; not that _she_ accepted any of course.

DMHG

All too soon the Christmas holidays also came to a close and they were on their way back to Hogwarts. Hermione sat in a compartment with Draco and of course with Greg and Vince flanking them as always. Euan and Alex had sat with them a while before they left to join their other friends. Hermione and Draco talked animatedly about their holidays, catching up with each other completely. She even delicately planted the seed to continue his following of Potter and Weasley more earnestly, although she did implore him to go at it more sneakily than his previous attempts.

"Come on Hermione, you know I am smart enough to not get caught!" Draco rolled his eyes at her warning, yet she didn't back down.

Instead, she primly responded, "really Draco? You would have been in detention the first month already if it hadn't been for me. All I'm saying is, just be careful, and no boasting!"

Draco glared at her, then pouted as he usually did when trying to obtain some faffing attention. "Fine. I won't boast…"

She smiled happily at him before turning her attention to Greg and Vince to enquire about their holiday.

DMHG

The weeks went even quicker once term had resumed, the coursework became distinctly more difficult and Hermione started to cram in extra revision and study times. She even drew up timetables for her classmates and primly handed them out while haughtily telling them they needed to study more if they had any hope to pass term exams. She was not very popular after that, her classmates actually gave her the silent treatment for weeks afterward. She didn't mind, as it meant more quiet time for herself to study, and besides, her brother and Draco still talked to her.

Her investigations into Quirrell didn't yield all that much fruit, but she was confident that he was up to something. He would spend a lot of time in front of the third-floor corridor while muttering to himself, according to Greg and Vince that was. Hermione would take note of their reportings, yet she never meddled or gave them instruction to meddle either. She just wanted information to give to her father. She at least knew what they were after, thanks to her love for the library. She had been sitting at her quiet corner table one afternoon when she heard the annoying duo and their older Ravenclaw friend. Hoping to find out something worthwhile she had perked her ears and listened. Chang had just made the discovery that Dumbledore was hiding the Philosopher's Stone in the castle, and they thought that Professor Snape – she had rolled her eyes at this part – were after it. Hermione still kept her mother updated on all this, though, her mother didn't mind, as long as she didn't put herself into danger nor broke any rules. Hermione had no inclination to do any of that.

It was a bit after the easter holidays that Draco walked into their common room, looking like the cat that got the cream. Keeping to his no boasting promise, he told her quietly what he had found out. Potter, Weasley, and Chang were helping the Game Keeper to keep his illegal dragon a secret. Hermione made sure that Draco would keep the information to himself, insisting on waiting for the right opportunity to use it.

The right opportunity came when Weasley was in the hospital for what they knew was the infection from a dragon bite. Draco had gone there to mock him and walked out with a 'borrowed' textbook, only later did they discover the little goldmine inside; a letter depicting the time and date on which the dragon will be moved from Hogwarts.

That whole night turned into a terrible disaster.

Draco landed himself with fifty points lost and detention in the forbidden forest. If only he had listened to her, Hermione had scoffed at him afterward. She had told him to take the information directly to Professor Snape, yet Draco thought it would be poetic justice to go to McGonagall. Something along the lines of watching the Gryffindor Head expelling her beloved Gryffindor duo… Well, at least he survived the detention, although she had no idea why they would do detention in the Forbidden Forest? Wasn't it supposed to be forbidden?

That was also noted on her long report that she was diligently compiling for her father.

The duo started to really irritate her after that. They were such meddlesome idiots! They had no logical reasoning, they only managed to get as far as they did thanks to Cho Chang. But it was their name calling and meddling that really got to her. Especially that Weasley, he liked reminding her that she was a bastard and no good Slytherin. And Potter gave just as good as he got, especially with Draco, it didn't take an idiot to see the utter loathing in his eyes whenever he saw Draco.

Hermione still watched them closely, it soon became obvious that they were very sure that Quirrell was the poor victim and Professor Snape the villain. Hermione could only grunt with that – no logical reasoning there – and roll her eyes, it was quite amusing to see the meddlesome idiots making such grossly inaccurate assumptions based purely on personal dislike. Still, she held no qualms about not intervening or pointing them in the right direction. For all that she cared; they would deserve whatever they had coming their way for meddling so much. Hermione would only diligently compile her report further.

Exams would start almost.


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: In this Chapter, two very important entities make their first appearance… I hope you enjoy them as I absolutely love writing them._

 _Enjoy!_

 ** _Chapter 11_**

Exams were brutal. Hermione studied and revised well into the night, she would also grill Greg and Vince mercilessly; taking her self-appointed task of pulling the oafish two through school very seriously. She hated that Weasley and Potter would make fun of them for not being the sharpest pencils in the bag and had sworn she will make sure they pass each subject with better points than the annoying duo. So far she felt proud of each of them and their accomplishments they achieved with her help, it proved that studying was the best remedy. Repetition, repetition, and some more repetition.

Hermione didn't let go of her investigation, though, Greg and Vince still tailed Quirrell and Draco still followed the duo. They would report back to her every other day or so, still oblivious that she had an ulterior agenda other than a basic want to get them into trouble. She felt she quite liked being a puppeteer that managed her friends according to their strengths and weaknesses.

Hermione had no idea what was beyond the third-floor corridor, she had no interest in finding out either as she had no intention of going beyond the corridor. She only knew whatever there was that it protected the Philosophers Stone and that Quirrell was obviously planning on getting it and the meddling duo thought they could stop him, although, they were still intent that it was Professor Snape, though.

The young witch was a nervous wreck by the time the exams were almost over, she had even gotten in the habit of waking up in the middle of the night in a frantic panic and to start blindly revising; only to then come to her senses and realise she had either already done that exam or that she didn't even have that subject yet and that the book was only there for her own light reading.

Finally, it was the last day of exams.

It would be the History of Magic exam and Hermione was cramming in last minute studying while eating breakfast, her mouth moving ceaselessly as she muttered under her breath while reading from the textbook. Her breakfast turning cold and standing forgotten in front of her on the table. Draco tried making fun at her a few times but gave up eventually when he realised she didn't even hear him. A prickling feeling started at Hermione's neck, it finally distracted her enough to look up, her eyes landed on Professor Snape; he was looking at her intently with the barest twitch of his mouth. She had the feeling that he was very satisfied with her. Perhaps he had finished marking her Potions exam?

She smiled tentatively at her Professor which he only acknowledged with a nod; Hermione then turned to resume her reading, but her gaze fell on Quirrell who at that moment was rushing from the great hall. Hermione stood up without thought to follow the dodgy professor at a more leisurely pace. He rushed to an empty classroom and entered it without ensuring that the door is properly closed, Hermione sidled up to the open crack and tried to casually lean against the frame. She listened as Quirrel muttered to himself again – she wondered why he did that, though, maybe something to do with the creature Draco saw in the forest? – bits of his sentences reached her luckily. " – yes, yes – master –" she frowned in confusion, "—I will have Dumbledore out of the castle this afternoon master –" realisation settled then on her features, " – I can retrieve it then master –"

Hermione stepped away to rush to the library, she heard enough. Whatever was going to happen would most likely be after her exam, so she can finish her last minute studying in peace.

DMHG

Hermione had dispatched a quick letter to her mother before her exam, explaining her latest information, and then proceeded to wipe everything from her mind as she instead sat and did her exam. Afterward, she scoffed at all the unnecessary facts she had learned which weren't even asked in passing in the exam.

It was as she and Draco were walking to the lake that she saw the annoying duo and the Chang girl running to Hagrid's hut. Rolling her eyes she resumed her conversation with Draco, passing thoughts on the last exam. It was some time later that she noticed the trio hastily jog up to the castle, she had a feeling they were planning on meddling. Idiots.

Hermione excused herself from Draco and followed the trio covertly, once inside she hid behind a statue as they spoke to McGonagall. Obviously, she already knew that the Headmaster would be out of the castle so the news didn't surprise her. And when the deputy head left she wasn't surprised that the trio decided then and there that Professor Snape – she rolled her eyes again – would be retrieving the stone. Hermione hurried away before she could see professor Snape arriving as well. She rushed back outside to Draco, she didn't say anything though and instead, they spent the rest of the afternoon leisurely planning their summer holiday.

Her father would have her for the first part of the holiday and he was apparently taking the Fawley's on vacation to Norway for three weeks; Hermione couldn't wait to submerge herself in the Viking history once there. Draco was telling her that his parents would be taking him to their Château in France again for the summer. He said that he will make sure his father invites the Fawley's for a long weekend so they could spend some time together.

During dinner Hermione kept watching the annoying duo, noting that they kept glancing nervously to Chang at the Ravenclaw table, the latter returning their nervous glances with her own. Hermione saw Professor Snape leaving the head table directly after dinner, bummer, she wanted to inform him of her findings so that he can stop the meddling idiots before they really hurt themselves. Not that she cared if they get hurt, but she had some common decency and that decency made sure that she inform a professor of their pending doom. Hermione stood up and rushed out of the great hall, trying to find Professor Snape. Soon she turned up empty handed, though, he seemingly has disappeared!

Draco caught up with her outside their common room entrance then, "Hermione! Wait, what's wrong? Where did you go to?"

Skidding to a halt Hermione faced her friend with an irritated expression, although, not aimed at him but at the rapidly escalating issue with the meddling annoying duo, or trio now. "Draco – I need you to find Professor Snape, it is important! Tell him to get me at the third-floor corridor. Tell him the annoying trio is going after the stone. He will know what it is about –"

She jogged away without waiting for a response; instead, she left a dumbfounded Draco staring after her.

Hermione ran as fast as she could up and down various corridors, heading for the forbidden third-floor corridor. All the while cursing the meddling duo, now her common decency forced her to attempt to stop them in order to save their hides! Did they not have any sense? And that Ravenclaw, they were supposed to be wise!

DMHG

Jean floo'd on the arm of Xavier directly into the headmaster's office. Luckily as Xavier was a school Governor he had unrestricted access to the school via the floo. Jean was panicked as she stepped out into the empty office, not surprised that it was empty as Hermione's letter had said the headmaster will be gone. She had received the missive only an hour ago via the owl, and immediately she knew her daughter was going to get involved in the sordid mess that Dumbledore had created by putting the stone at Hogwarts. Knowing her daughter mirrored a sense of decency and that she would feel the need to pull the other students back from their recklessness, she had immediately apparated to Xavier.

Once there she had told him of Hermione's grand scheme to compile him a report of the going on's at Hogwarts, rushing out the details of the Stone and the other students that were meddling and trying to play the heroes.

Xavier instantly alerted as he also felt that same feeling of urgent unease.

Together they didn't waste any time and immediately floo'd to the school, intent on getting Professors Snape and McGonagall to intervene before anyone could get hurt. Xavier and Jean rushed out from the office, once outside in the gargoyle corridor, Xavier turned to Jean to give calm yet hurried instructions.

"Jean, get to that corridor and try and stop Hermione from going further, she will listen to you. She has no idea what is guarding the stone. I am quite sure she thinks if the duo can manage it then she will too, bit the duo probably knows by now what is there and are therefore prepared –" he grimaced with the thought, " – I will try and find a professor in the meantime. And Jean,"

Jean turned back as she had already started to walk away, looking at him enquiringly; he smiled softly at her. "Be careful love, we don't know what else they brought into the school."

Jean nodded and smiled in return, he was right. Hermione will listen to her, and yes, they didn't know what else that Headmaster would have brought here. "I will Xav, and hurry!"

Jean then started her frantic jog down the corridors, letting her memory from her own school days lead her. She made a few wrong turns from where her memory failed her, but in general, she managed and finally she skidded to a halt in the hallway that faced the entrance to the third corridor.

Jean felt panicked when she was just in time to see a mane of wild curly hair whipping around the door as it closed again. "Hermione! Wait!"

She yelled frantically at her daughter as she ran at her full speed to the door her daughter had just disappeared behind from. Reaching the door she plucked it open and didn't hesitate before dodging inside.

Nothing prepared her for what she saw as she looked up.

DMHG

Hermione was jogging with a dark scowl to the third-floor corridor, all the while muttering expletives against the terrible trio for forcing her to need to intervene in order to make sure their arses didn't end up dead. She just couldn't believe her rotten luck in not finding her Professor!

She momentarily thought that perhaps she should have gone to McGonagall, but realised it was probably too late now. Either way, she needed to stop the trio or else they might end up dead and then Hogwarts will close, and she had no want to go to Durmstrang or Beauxbatons, so with a deeper scowl, she forged ahead. At least Draco was getting Professor Snape, so she just needed to stall the trio.

Finally, Hermione reached the third-floor corridor, she was just in time to see the trio closing the door behind them. "Brilliant! I'm too late!"

Hermione threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. She had hoped to get them before they entered. But luck was apparently not on her side tonight. With a firm resolution, she forged ahead to enter the door as well. She monetarily froze with her hand on the knob; she had no idea what was behind it! Chewing her lip thoughtfully she squared her shoulders. Oh well, if the trio thought they could manage it, then she most certainly will too! She knew she was one of the best students of her age.

With that resolution, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

DMHG

A little behind her two misty figures stood watching the sequence of events playing off, they had smiles on their faces in satisfaction that events rolled as they had placed the board. Death turned to Fate with an expectant stare, "you know I will have death tonight?"

Fate looked at her companion; they had been playing these games since the start of It. It was everything; time, space… substance… whatever you wanted to call it. Fate smiled and nodded, "yes, this is as it must be. Hermione will have this fate in this reality…"

Death and Fate then disappeared through the wall, only to appear a little way _before_. Ready to make sure the pieces moved together seamlessly. They watched as dinner was going on in the great hall, noting Hermione sitting with her friend. The partner already assigned for her by Fate.

Then Fate went to the head table, she trailed her fingers over the shoulders of the entire faculty whom she passed from behind, smiling pleasantly at the shivers that she caused with her touch. To them they would merely feel a tingle at her touch, causing a shiver down their spines and not knowing what caused it. Finally reaching Severus Snape, Fate then leaned over his shoulder, bringing her mouth next to his ear.

Death watched his companion from a corner, watching as she whispered into the dark professor's ear, planting seeds of thought. Finally, she stood up with her serene smile and appeared next to her companion once more. They watched as her seeds took hold and the snarky professor stood up to go on an errand. It was, of course, an errand planted by Fate; she needed Hermione to go to the corridor. So she needed to remove her trusted Professor.

They watched as Hermione hurried out soon after, starting the frantic search for her professor, knowing she won't find him. Knowing, she will then proceed by herself to the corridor.

Fate and Death nodded in silent satisfaction, and then they disappeared once more to _later_. Appearing right where Xavier Fawley then ran down a corridor, looking for any faculty staff. Fate nodded at Death as they watched, this was where timing was crucial; the intervention had to come right at the specific time. Fate and Death followed the urgent father, finally happy with the timing Fate floated up to him from above. She kept his speed as her chiffon caftan billowed wispily behind her fast floating figure; whispering thoughts into his ear, guiding him to reach the dark Professor at just the right time.

Death kept his distance, planning the chessboard was Fate's job, he only collected the death in her wake.

Fate ceased and desisted her thought seeds when Xavier rounded the corner and found the Professor trudging in front of the Gryffindor Tower entrance. Right, where she had sent him with her before thought seeds in the great hall.

Fate and Death once more sidled into the walls, happy that everything was set and timing correct. They appeared once more at the _now_ , contentedly following Jean Granger as she entered the forbidden corridor. Death smiled happily, death was his happiness after all.

DMHG

Jean Granger felt her heart stop, for in front of her was the biggest and probably the most heinous beast she had ever seen. A gigantic, very awake and very angry, three-headed dog.

Everything happened so quick that she had only time for one reaction. Save her daughter; it was any mother's most natural reaction.

Hermione was cowering in a corner trying to fend off the snapping three heads, Jean knew that her daughter would be torn in half with only one snap of one of those gaping, sharp-toothed jaws. Pulling her wand out she shot a stunning hex, yet it bounced from the creature harmlessly. With panic, she realised the magical creature was somehow impervious to spells!

Her stunning hex at least pulled its attention to her. Jean knew what should happen then, it wasn't even a thought or a decision; it just was.

While throwing herself forward to the beast she only yelled at her daughter in the process, "Get out Hermione! Now!"

Jean had only a moment to see that her daughter had gotten up and run to the door, relief washed through her before she screamed at the dog to distract him from her fleeing daughter. The dog snapped all three his heads to her in anger, Jean knew she had no time to try and get to the door herself and so she comforted herself that her daughter was safe.

She did try to get back to the door, though, even as she knew there wasn't time. But her survival instinct made her attempt the dash, then there was only pain. Blinding pain through the whole of her side from her arm and shoulder. Jean was vaguely aware of being lifted into the air, but the pain was so intense that nothing registered beyond that. Then she was hurtling across the room, her body connected with the wall and her head smacked with a hollow thud.

Darkness was her instant companion then.


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Next chapter time! Thank you for all the lovely reviews! I really appreciate every single one of them._

 _Now, this was a hard chapter for me to write… but it was planned still in the outline phase of the story and absolutely crucial to the tale of Hermione in this AU (It was also decided long before I even made the decision to write in a stepmother, just to clear that thought). People are made after all (I'm a big fan for the nurture vs nature debate – I believe in both. And in this story I'm combining nature and nurture), as well as born._

 _Don't hate me…_

 _And, I am also showcasing how BAD the events at Hogwarts truly was. I mean… giant, vicious three-headed dog? In a boarding school with hundreds of students from all walks? With only a warning at the beginning of the school year to stay away from said corridor? Really? What can go wrong there… most kids will only see that as a dare… Anyway, you get the idea._

 _And as always,_

 _ENJOY!_

 ** _Chapter 12_**

The ringing in Hermione's ears was deafening. She vaguely registered that her mother wasn't behind her as she dashed through the door, all she took in was the ringing and her mother's frantic yell to get out. In her blind panic she didn't hesitate, she ran. It was instinct after all, her mother _always_ protected her. Hermione had just dashed through the door when footsteps arrived in front of her.

Xavier skidded to a halt in front of his daughter and dropping to his knees he grabbed her shoulders frantically. "Hermione! You're alright! Where's your mother – Jean!"

Hermione blinked stupidly at her father, silent tears from the shock running down her face. But Xavier had already jumped up to dash through the door as well, Professor Snape following guardedly. Hermione didn't notice her Professor's pallid expression adopting a grim look.

Within seconds the snarls of the humongous beast picked up again, but then the soft sounds of a harp floated out and the aggressive noises from the beast quietened instantly. Hermione didn't wince once; she only stood where she did staring out blankly while her entire frame rocked with the aftershock. She didn't let anything penetrate her shell-shocked mind yet, somewhere she believed that her father would walk out any minute now with her mother in tow. And her mother would chastise her for getting _involved_ with the meddling trio. She would tell her to stick to her own friends and follow the rules and study hard. And to report any wrongdoing immediately.

Therefore when she heard the gruff moan from inside the corridor that sounded suspiciously like her father, she blinked slowly to gather her thoughts. Then reality crashed around her. Sounds permeated all around and she registered Draco running to her from a distance. But she didn't linger on his lanky form as he neared; instead, she turned around to face the door. Somehow, realising that her father and mother had to have been out already. She then stepped forward cautiously, swallowing nervously. Draco skidded to a halt behind her but she didn't register his calling out to her, instead her focus was on the dark, open doorway in front of her as she stepped tentatively forward. One foot in front of the other. Step by slow step she carried herself through the doorway as a heaviness settled around her. The rushing sound of earlier returned, drowning out all other sounds once more.

Hermione walked so quietly that neither wizards that huddled against the opposite wall heard her approach. She circled the, now, peacefully sleeping gigantic beast without a glance.

Hermione came to a stop next to them, not even realising her father's frantic orders to her professor. All she took in was her mother.

Her mother lying in front of them, one-half of her side mauled and bloodied. Her muggle clothes tattered and shredded in between shredded flesh. Blood pumping out of her shredded body unstopping. Hermione dropped to her knees as they buckled and gave out beneath her. She was aware that her father was talking to her harshly as he was pressing one hand over a particularly gaping wound while waving his wand over her mother, and yet she didn't take in his words. She watched numbly as Professor Snape hovered his own wand over her mother urgently, muttering all forms of incantations. Yet, her mother didn't twitch or flutter. Her body was limp.

"Hermione! Leave! Now!" Her father's voice finally penetrated the haze of her mind, at the same time that she felt an insistent tug on her arm. "Draco, please get her out!"

Hermione realised the tucking came from her friend, glancing a quick glance over her shoulder at him – noting his own deathly pale and obviously shocked face – she firmly pulled her arm from his clutch. With a stoic glare at him, she returned her attention to the bloodied, mauled form of her mother in front of her. She was on her knees by her mother's head and as she looked down her eyelids fluttered weakly before opening. Professor Snape and her father faltered in their enchantments momentarily, all their eyes fixed on the open eyes of Jean Granger.

Hermione met her mothers' gaze, noting the flicker of softness inside of them, then the slightest twitch of her mouth in what was obviously a soft attempt at a smile for her daughter. Hermione felt her stomach clench in a moment of hope, then everything crashed down when the twitch went limp and her eyes blanked. Hermione Granger knew, in that specific moment, that her mother was dead. Her hand reached out to shake her mother tentatively on her shoulder, her eyes not leaving the lifeless eyes of her mother.

"Mum – Mummy?" her hands clutched then on the bloodied and tattered remains of her shirt while she started to shake her more urgently, tears now continuously coursing down her face without pause. "Mummy! Wake up mum… wake up! I'm sorry mum – please…" Hands were clutching her again, this time effectively pulling her away from where she had collapsed on her mother's broken form while shaking in suppressed sobbing and shock.

She was once more only vaguely aware of being carried away, she saw more figures running into the room, Professor Dumbledore one of them. She heard the soft sounds of the harp playing still in the background. Hermione only stared over the shoulder against which she was pressed firmly, seeing the _dog_ snoring away.

Once outside of the door, she was deposited next to a shaking Draco. Her father hunched in front of her, levelling his gaze with her eyes. She felt his hands on her upper arms, firmly holding them. "Hermione, look at me –" She only continued to stare over his shoulder, " – Hermione," he then let one hand loose from its grip to tilt her chin as to gaze at him. "Hermione, I need you to stay here… do you understand? Stay here with Draco – Hermione,"

Her eyes focussed on his finally, and only nodded barely. Her father then lowered his forehead to rest it briefly against her own with a shuddering breath, before pulling back and then standing up to return in _there._ She only noticed as he walked away from her that they were both covered in blood. Her hands and clothes from where she had collapsed on her mother. She guessed her face as well. Yet, she couldn't even take that in enough to care. She could only stare at the gaping dark hole that was the entrance to the third-floor corridor. The _forbidden_ corridor. And now because of _her…_ her mother was dead. Why did she follow them?

Without realising it her body convulsed as another withheld sob broke free.

She felt Draco shifting next to her, and then he let his arm circle her waist to pull her down to sit on the ground next to him. She didn't protest, and together they sat there in silence as various professors scurried past them, in and out. The rushing in her ears didn't subside again, it only became more deafening the longer she stared at the dark hole in front of her. She needed to be with her mother. Without realising it, she was standing up as if in some trance and once again did the silent journey into the corridor, circling around the sleeping dog and coming to a stop at the now covered body of her mother. Hermione didn't hesitate, she pulled the white sheet off and then proceeded to just stand and look down at her mother. Her eyes would keep coming back to the lifeless orbs of her mother. It was so unnatural; usually, they were so _alive_ , always sparkling with laughter and love. Her mother loved so wholeheartedly. She loved completely, without reservation and accepting of everything. Now they were blank, lifeless… a key ingredient had been removed. The source of what was Jean Granger had been ripped out when that beast dog had sunk its teeth into her.

Hermione stood, just letting those thoughts consume her. At first, she wanted to blame herself, she did blame herself. But then voices started drifting closer. And within minutes she saw the heads of Ronald Weasley and Cho Chang appearing through the open trapdoor. A trapdoor she had noticed upon entering the first time.

As they climbed out, followed by Professor McGonagall, she felt the first stirrings of something else within her.

She saw the strict professor blanching upon seeing Hermione standing by her now uncovered mother. Saw how she covered Chang's eyes and attempting to keep Weasley from seeing it as well. She watched as she wanted to rush them out but got held up when Professor Snape and her father appeared almost instantly through the trapdoor. She watched as Professor Dumbledore also appeared, everyone looking at her with pale faces. Then her father and Professor Snape rushed forward. Hermione returned her gaze to her mother. Once again locking gazes with the lifeless blue eyes that held no familiarity anymore. She was aware that Professor Snape was gripping her arm to pull her away, she was aware of her father trembling and clutching at his wand as he glared daggers at the Headmaster. She was aware of the unconscious body of _Harry Potter_ being levitated through the trapdoor by Madam Pomfrey and Professor Pomona Sprout.

Yet it did nothing to her. All she felt was the stirring _something_ in her stomach as she once again let her eyes land on the various parts of the trio and Dumbledore. With a last glance, she saw her father covering her mother's body once more with a sheet before he fell into step next to her. Gripping her free arm to walk her out between him and Professor Snape.

Once outside, they collected a still shocked Draco and then they were both marched to the hospital wing in silence. Hermione knew the others were following as well. Yet she didn't once glance over her shoulder, she only kept her blank face forward, not speaking a word.

DMHG

Fate turned to Death with a grim look, "Are you content now?" Death smiled at his companion, she was the one that set the board after all, so he knew this death was her own plotting. Therefore her grim expression did not faze him.

"Well… you promised me lots of death in this reality –" Fate smiled, almost ruefully, "Yes – it is the fate here. Does not mean I envy your job Death,"

The two entities remained behind to look at the sheet-covered body in silence for a minute, Fate eventually broke it again. "Was her essence re-joined successfully?"

Death looked at the lifeless heap for a second before responding, "of course. She is pure; therefore her re-joining with the Source was immaculate. Her essence is at peace."

Fate nodded and then she bends down to trail a delicate hand over the sheet covered body. "Such pure essence, to receive such a harsh ending… Oh, the games we play." Then standing up, she smiled wistfully to Death as she proceeded to disappear through the wall beside him. "Come on – lots to be done now. Darkness needs to be let in."

DMHG

Hermione wasn't sure how long they were in the hospital wing. It felt like hours. She was aware that she and Draco were sat in beds next to each other, they would meet their eyes every now and then but no words passed their lips. She was aware of potions being given to them both as well as to Chang and Weasley that were in opposite beds from them. After the potions were administered, a calmness enveloped her; calming draughts obviously she surmised.

She didn't lie down but continued sitting upright. Eventually, her father came in, he seemed pale and shaken, yet he still exuded that silent strength that Hermione found familiar now with him. He stopped by Draco's bed and glanced at him. Hermione knew Draco was in shock, to see a torn up body at their ages was enough to screw with your mind. And the odd thing, she could analyse all of this in a detached sort of way. Yet she knew it was screwing with her mind even more.

"Your parents have been notified Draco… they should be here shortly…" Hermione heard his quiet murmur to her friend and she saw his imperceptible nod in return to her father.

Her father then stepped over to her bed, with a wave of his wand the curtains closed around them and she heard him muttering another charm, probably to silence the space so as to not let their voices be overheard she thought. She watched her father in silence as he stood looking down at her with an unreadable expression.

Then he sat on the foot end of the bed and faced her head on. Hermione didn't break her impassive gaze from him.

"Hermione, what are you feeling?" he spoke quietly, asking her almost probingly. She frowned a bit, feeling the skin over her cheeks pulling tight with what she thought was dried tears and blood. Then she lifted her hands to eye level between them, hands that were still red with the cracking dry blood of her mother.

"I've got my mother's blood on my hands father." Her voice sounded dead even to her own ears, yet her father didn't even blanch. Instead, it was as if she only confirmed some thought for him.

He took a deep breath and then captured both her hands in his. "Whatever you do, don't blame yourself. It wasn't _your_ fault Hermione. You were trying to do a decent thing. Your mother was trying to do a decent thing. Neither of you was at fault."

He kept his firm gaze on her, probing her mercilessly she realised. His words penetrated through her, her mind reeled. She couldn't accept that no one was at fault! If they hadn't placed that beast in a school… if the trio didn't meddle… Someone was at fault. Her mother was dead!

Her eyes hardened. "You are right, father. It wasn't our fault. But it was someone's fault."

She saw her father nod in agreement, his own lips pursed in withheld anger, or was it anguish? She couldn't tell, maybe it was some of both. But then he spoke again, halting her thoughts to a screaming halt.

"Dumbledore has requested that – that, her passing be kept away from Hogwarts." His brown eyes locked with hers, a silent message being carried.

Hermione gaped, was there no end to his tyranny? Did Dumbledore simply do what he want and get away with it? She controlled her anger to speak slowly, carefully enunciating each word. "He wants to cover-up mu – mum's death?"

Her voice faltered a bit when she wanted to say, mum, a raw flash of pure pain shooting through her at that moment, but managed to plough through regardless. Her father grimly nodded in return. "Yes… he is arranging to have her death being declared due to natural causes, and away from Hogwarts. He will say it happened at home, a heart attack."

Her gasp was audible then, "But can he get away with that father? There were witnesses here! And it was his fault! He needs to face the consequences! Mum is Dead!"

Her frantic exclamations rose till she was practically screaming in hysterics. Her father immediately enveloped her into a strong hug as he rocked her slightly in attempts to calm her. "Hush… I know… I know…"

Finally, she sat back to only stare at him wide-eyed, Hermione knew by now her father did nothing if it didn't behoove him in some way, so if he was letting Dumbledore get away with this it was because he had some reason. "He can do it yes, he is a very influential wizard. And we will allow him, Hermione." She opened her mouth to interrupt, but he quietened her with a firm look. "We _will_ allow him, Hermione. Remember, we do things a certain way. Hogwarts must remain open, therefore this has to be done."

Hermione scowled, how could a school staying open be more important than the truth of her mother's death? As if sensing her inner thoughts her father continued. "There are bigger things to come. And letting Dumbledore create this secret will be in our favour at the right time. We will allow this… but you must not forget this."

Her face settled back to its impassive mask then; he understood perfectly. This will be something for in the future. She mustn't forget the wrongdoing of this event, but must simply let it lay until the proper moment. So, instead she asked calmly, "What about all the witnesses?"

Her father grimaced drily, "Draco's parents will take care of his _compliance_ , and Dumbledore will take care of the staff and the trio. He thinks the threat of the school closing will be enough to ensure their silence."

Hermione sagged perceptibly; she looked down at her bloodstained hands and rubbed them together in an attempt to get the stains off. Her father watched her for a second and then frowned with the thought that Pomfrey hadn't even cleaned her. Didn't she know that the sight of the blood was traumatic in itself? He then berated himself for a minute for not thinking to clean it up either but knew that the conversation they just had, had been more important at that moment. So he once again withdrew his wand, and then stilling her rubbing hands between his free one, he pointed the wand at them and muttered _scorgify._ He repeated the action with her clothes and face, till he was happy that all traces of blood were removed.

Only then did Hermione's quiet voice sound up again. "I will not forget this father. I _cannot._ "

DMHG

"Darkness yet?" The voice of Death asked curiously as they watched the witch coming down from her dormitory with her trunk later that same day. Her father waiting in the common room for her along with Professor Snape and a few other students.

Fate tsked at her companion. "Of course not. But almost. She is almost ready…"

They watched in silence while following as the young witch left the common room with her father, she was pulled out of school to mourn. Fate and Death both smiled as the girl stopped dead when she saw the headmaster approaching them with sympathetic eyes. The girl looked at the Headmaster coldly. Fate had to hide a chuckle as the Headmaster attempted to convey sympathies to the girl, only to be met with a blank countenance and cold eyes. The Headmaster then nodded as if she had responded at all and then stepped away. The girl followed his retreating figure without blinking.

"Yes… Darkness is welcome with her," Fate surmised as they continued to follow the duo.


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: okay okay… another chapter for tonight…_

 _Couldn't resist hehe_

 _Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 13**

The cottage was eerily silent. It was as if the life of their home had been extinguished since Hermione had been here last. Somehow she knew it had died the moment her mother did.

The young girl walked through the dim cottage in silence; she was only vaguely aware of the soft footsteps following her. The home that used to be light and flowers seemed to be shadowed and wilted now; it even seemed dust covered, although she knew it couldn't be as it had only been unoccupied for barely four days now.

The girl looked ahead stoically as she travelled the short hallway to her bedroom.

Xavier watched as his daughter withheld all emotion from her countenance, the girl hadn't cried a tear since that day. Well that he knew of. It was a quiet cause of worry for him, he was pleased with her ability control her emotions by all counts, yes, but he also knew she needed to grief. Xavier let her walk to her room alone; instead, he went to stand in front of the floo mantle. His throat constricted as he took in the various pictures on display. All the pictures were familiar of course, but now he was looking at them through the eyes of a man that had lost.

Xavier blinked back the sting that momentarily felt behind his lids.

Then with a squaring of his shoulders, he removed the shrunk trunk from his pocket. With a wave of his wand, he watched as the trunk expanded to the original size, with another wave all the pictures of Jean and Hermione started to fly from all their various places to stack neatly into the trunk. Hermione had told him she only wanted the pictures, and naturally, he wouldn't deny his daughter. From all over the house pictures and photo albums flew to the trunk, after a few minutes the temporary chaos subsided as the last of the pictures settled neatly into the open trunk. Xavier bends over to close the lid but froze as his gaze landed on one of the top framed pictures.

He gently lifted the photograph in the silver ornate frame.

It was a picture of himself with Jean and Hermione. The one that was taken over the Christmas holiday, when he had visited with them. A picture of his second family.

Xavier closed his eyes briefly as he clutched the frame, his knuckles showing white with the grip he maintained. The wizard maintained control of himself as he heard the quiet steps of his daughter approaching. Replacing the picture once more he closed the trunk before straightening up to face his daughter. Hermione stood inside the living room entrance looking at him quietly.

Xavier noticed that she clutched only two items in her arms.

A tattered book and a stuffed green dragon; the dragon had also seen better years he noted. "Is this all Hermione?"

The girl only nodded at him, her face still stoic and impassive. With a nod Xavier took a hold of the trunk and held out his arm for her, Hermione quietly walked into the arm and let him hold her against his side snugly. With a turn and a pop, they disappeared from the dead cottage.

The cottage creaked as the last life left it.

Dust motes settled down to continue its slow accumulation to layer, the last flower petal in a vase wilted. The light dimmed and the dust sighed in the happiness of the rest, the walls drooped and the roof creaked. The magical life-force of the cottage dissipated completely as its last inhabitant left to never return.

To anyone walking up the drive from that day on, they would only see a dark, abandoned and dissipated cottage. No life and no sunlight would ever penetrate its walls again. It would be the symbolic state of its final inhabitant.

DMHG

The funeral was small. With the cover up that Albus Dumbledore had made regarding her death, not a lot of people even knew.

As it was, only the family was there with a few close friends.

Hermione stood between her father and brother as the minister lead the service, her father's hand resting heavily on her shoulder while her brother held her hand tightly. Lucinda stood on the other side of her father in her normal proud posture and a face that belied no emotion.

Hermione only kept her eyes on the wood coffin that was lowered into the ground slowly at that time. Not a hint of emotion could be found in her eyes. Yet looking at her pallid skin and the darkness beneath her yes, it was easily discernible that she was in fact not doing well. As the service finished, Hermione remained standing where she was.

Everyone stepped forward to the open grave to pay last respects and perhaps drop a rose, yet Hermione only stood frozen. She became aware of comforting pats and squeezes on her shoulders as the participants would walk past her as they left the service, yet she still only stood frozen. Finally, she felt a familiar hand closing around hers, blinking she looked into the grey eyes of her only friend.

Draco looked down at her not saying anything, yet Hermione knew he was offering her silent strength.

Without saying a word she leaned forward and felt him wrapping his arms around her tightly as he held her against him. Tears threatened then, yet Hermione blinked them back. She would never cry again.

Xavier stood a bit away, Lucinda and Euan next to him. On the other side of him stood Lucius and Narcissa, the five of them looked quietly at the two teenagers holding each other. Eventually, Narcissa broke the heavy silence.

"She's not crying –" her voice was soft yet contemplative.

Lucinda answered her, "no… not even when she is alone. I have ordered Pokey to watch her, yet she reports that she doesn't even cry at night."

Lucius glanced at them speculatively. "It is admirable to be sure. Yet, she needs to grief, at least in the quiet…"

This time Xavier responded, his own face cold and completely impassive. After all, he lost the witch of his heart and had his own pain to deal with. "She won't cry. She is internalising her grief."

The three adults turned to look at him with dubious expressions, only Euan kept his gaze firmly on the two twelve-year-olds still standing next to the grave.

"Xavier, you think she will snap?" Lucius spoke in hushed tones, Lucinda and Narcissa turned their heads to watch the curly-haired witch as she stepped forward to drop a single black rose into the grave. The pale boy never letting go of her free hand as he stayed in quiet support next to his friend.

Xavier's tone was dead and his eyes lifeless, "Hermione is special. She's capable of great things."

In unison, they all once more looked at the girl, various expressions ranging between worried and calculating, on their faces with the ominous words of her father.

DMHG

The room was dark. Yet somehow the darkness was alive, it was thick and pulsing. Tendrils of the dark caressed the young witch that was sitting on the edge of the bed. She let the darkness crawl over her, she let it absorb into her skin as she stared stoically at the blank wall before her. The darkness flowed through her veins and gently reached its tendrils out to plait into her muscle and sinew, it reached its darkened tendrils into every niche of her being. Her heart filled with it as it pounded the life-giving blood through her young body.

Her heart turned cold as she saw only the lifeless blue eyes of her mother before her.

The darkness finally reached its tendrils into her mind; overtaking it and settling there with a satisfied purr. Finding itself a welcoming home finally.

A young mind that had the capacity to do great and terrible things, a mind in pain and looking for relief. The darkness hummed in satisfaction as it let its blackness overtake the last light left inside of this young being. After all, Darkness was first. And to darkness, everything shall revert to once more.

Hermione only saw the dead eyes of her mother, the pooled blood from the ripped body. The three-headed dog that now lay contently as the music played it to sleep. The grave face of Albus Dumbledore and the pale face of her father.

She relived these memories every night; they were constantly playing in her head. She would see the prone form of Harry Potter being levitated from the trap door, then she would see Professor McGonagall with Cho Chang and Ronald Weasley looking pale and shaky as they are led away. Her own Head of House would be sneering at the whole sordid mess as he tries to firmly pull her away from the mauled body of her mother. And her father that stood pale as he struggled to keep from cursing Dumbledore.

And all Hermione could feel was hate.

Hate for the negligent Headmaster. Hate for the meddling Harry Potter. Hate for the judging Ronald Weasley. Hate for the prejudiced School. And most of all, hate for Gryffindor. Gryffindor… the house that birthed all the single individuals whom she hated.

It was their fault.

Darkness smiled as it plaited its last tendril into the mind of the girl. Hate was such a strong word, and the feeling was even more poisonous. Yes, this girl was the longed for home, this girl would carry Darkness with fierce pride and strength. She would fight to keep the darkness because Darkness knew that it gave her the comfort she needed in this unfortunate business. Death would take and Fate would be.

Fate and Death stood hand in hand watching the witch.

They had invited Darkness here naturally, for Fate had been set for this young witch already upon conception. But for Darkness to be allowed, Death had to first take.

With grim nods, Fate and Death stepped away from the dark room. It was time to do the next step. Fate and Death stepped into the study of Malfoy Manor, there Fate knocked over an ornament, the ornament shattered in front of the corner bookcase. The pale, long blonde haired man looked up frowning from where he was studying a certain text.

Lucius Malfoy stood up to walk to the corner, hunching down he frowned at the shattered ornament, and then his eyes landed on the bottom shelf of the bookcase. This shelf housed only his obscure and forbidden books. Lucius noted the dark small diary and then pulled it out frowningly.

Fate bent over to whisper into the wizard's ear tantalisingly. Planting a thought, a thought of forbidden games to play.

Lucius Malfoy stood up, the black diary of Tom Marvolo Riddle held firmly as a slow smirk formed on his features.

Fate and Death nodded once more at each other. They did love setting the stage for their amusement, and this reality is so much better than the previous reality that they had played with. Yes having Hermione Granger on this side promised a lot more entertainment, she had such diverse traits to manipulate. Death's eyes gleamed.

In this reality he had more lives to take than the other reality had allowed; Death felt energised with the thoughts of the happenings for the next school year. Fate, though, tugged him to follow her once more.

Stepping through the wall they materialised in the library of Fawley Manor, there Fate flitted over to the big wizard that sat drinking, glass after glass, of firewiskey. Fate whispered worriedly into his ear, the wizard frowned, as the nagging thought that was planted, took root. Standing up the wizard left the dim library to softly make his way to the family wing.

Fate and Death flitted through the shadows behind him.

Xavier Fawley softly opened the door and slipped inside the bedroom. Fate and Death followed him through the wall, once more resuming their prior positions in the corner of the room. Xavier frowned into the thick darkness of the room; an unbidden shudder ran down his spine. He felt the living and pulsing darkness, recognised it. A part of Darkness had been his constant companion as well.

Xavier walked to the bed to stand in front of his daughter. She only continued to stare forward blankly.

"I hate them, father. I will kill them all."

The voice that came from her mouth was dead, Xavier only nodded at her. He felt the same; the darkness surrounding her pulled on his own, they meshed and entwined. Communicating with each other, making sure that father and daughter would be joined in a common goal.

The eerie dead voice of Hermione sounded up again. "I am Hermione Jean Granger-Fawley. Biological Descendent of the House of Fawley, claimed by my father, Xavier Graham Fawley. I accept the charge of the Fawley Name. Family loyalty above all else."

Xavier stood looking at his daughter as she formally acknowledged her status. Then he bent over to place a kiss on her forehead, "welcome, daughter."

The darkness whirled excitedly as the magical bonds settled between father and daughter at her acknowledgement. Now they are bound and settled to each other from both sides, Darkness purred satisfied as the bonds snapped in place.

Then Xavier turned and strolled to the door, once there he turned to look at the figure of Hermione as she still sat unmoving in the dark, "we will get retribution together. You will start with occlumency tomorrow." Then Xavier Fawley was gone and the door closed with a quiet click.

Fate and Death smiled, the path was truly set now.


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Merry Christmas everyone!_

 _Thank you for all the great reviews! 3_

 _And as always,_

 _ENJOY!_

 **Chapter 14**

The summer holidays passed with a heavy darkness that did not lift. Hermione didn't smile nor laugh. She just was. She went through all the motions expected of her with an impassive autonomy. Lucinda had her sitting in on all the tea's she had with other society witches, as well as continued her lessons in all matters of etiquette and traditions. The holiday to Italy had been cancelled in light of all the events but they did spend four days at the Malfoy château in France.

Draco tried to entertain his friend as best he could, but even he eventually realised that she just wasn't the same anymore.

Hermione only showed true will when she was alone with her father in the occlumency lessons. He was hard and merciless, shoving himself into her mind ceaselessly. He pulled up all her memories; the onslaught was harsh and had her curled in a ball on the floor time and again. He didn't stop.

Even when sobs wracked her body, sobs she tried to hold back, he didn't stop. He would only say those damning words: again.

Yet, Hermione went back every day.

She knew it would take years to master occlumency, and eventually legimency, she knew that for years all her best and worst memories would be pulled up. But it was a price she was willing to pay. She knew she needed to learn occlumency, it was the only way to eventually guard against her constant nightmares. The only way she could learn legimency to eventually use her enemies own minds and memories against them. It was two of the most powerful tools she could have in the magical world.

In a way, the girl relished those memories her father would drench up so ruthlessly. Even when lying in a sobbing heap on the floor, she still basked in those memories. Letting them wash over her in waves upon waves. They reminded her; they let her remember why she hated her enemies. Why she would destroy them. Her father didn't go soft on her either, he riffled through her mind looking for the best and happiest memories, and after pulling them up and sensing her walls dropping in bliss – then he would instantly overpower them with the worst memories. Causing shock waves of tumbling emotions which counteracted each other. Soaring happiness and tormenting anger and sadness. At those times she would hate her father and lash out in anger, but he would only wait it out and then those damning words would be said once more: again.

The visit to the Malfoy estates in France happened in the last month of the summer holidays. It was mostly spent lazing around and even some swimming. Hermione went through all the motions as was expected of her without preamble. Even indulged Draco, who seemed even more clownish than usual. She figured out it was his attempts to get her to smile like she used to. Hermione knew she would again, just not yet. Everything was raw still. If it wasn't for the darkness in her mind she wasn't sure if she would have coped at all. The darkness had become a cloaking mechanism, it subdued the pain and instead had her be constantly aware of the anger that burned through her veins.

While visiting the Malfoy's, her father didn't stop the occlumency sessions. Instead, he had Mr. Malfoy share those sessions twice. Having another person probing her mind had been disorienting, it was as if she felt more inclined to protect her mind from a stranger. One thing if her father saw everything, but the father of her best friend? That smacked of trespassing in personal space.

Her father only shrugged off her quiet complaints and said that it was exactly the reason he had let Mr. Malfoy do it. She needed to be able to protect from different assailants, especially as each one used their own technique. Hermione had to agree, her father didn't hold back, he pummelled her mind head on; ripping memories forward harshly. Yet, Mr. Malfoy did it sneakily. She had almost not even been aware that he was riffling through her mind at first, flimsy memories would flicker forward as if she was instead recalling them on her own. It was natural and soft how Mr. Malfoy did it, he could do it without anyone realising it. She had almost lost control of her emotions and gasped when she realised he was already in her mind, turning on him to glare at the blonde wizard.

"See… You can use legimency to either attack and weaken your prey – much your father's method that – or you can use it to obtain information for later use…" Mr. Malfoy's voice was soft as he continued probing her mind gently, Hermione's glare then morphed to thoughtfulness.

Turning she faced her father, noticing vaguely that the other wizard had withdrawn from her mind just as quietly as he had entered it. "Father, why do you do it like that? It seems to be that Mr. Malfoy's method has more sense long term."

Xavier smirked at his daughter, "well… I believe it is because I tend to be the more subtle one in general, whereas Lucius is the more – brazen? Maybe my suppressed brazenness comes out in my legimency? Opposite extremes? It's a theory in either case. You will see yourself what method comes naturally to you."

Hermione nodded, then turned back to her friend's father, "will Draco also be learning occlumency Mr. Malfoy?"

The wizard smiled lazily at her, "he, like your brother and now yourself, has been learning as well. It is a needed ability with our – true loyalties?"

Hermione didn't miss the telling look that passed between her father and the blonde wizard, she frowned, it was time her father told her exactly where his loyalties had been on the wizarding war. Although, with her absolute hate of Dumbledore and Harry Potter she knew she would never follow them in anything. Yes, perhaps she needed to hear the other side of the old Dark Lord's following now.

"Father… had you been a death-eater?" Her question earned sharp looks from both wizards. They had not expected her to ask it out straight.

Both wizards stepped next to each other, and with deep probing looks at her, her father nodded barely and both wizards lifted their left sleeves. She frowned as they bared their left forearms, then they turned them to show the inner part. Hermione's eyes rounded for a brief second before narrowing in contemplation.

For on both wizards, she saw the pink markings of the Dark Mark. She had read that the pink indicated they were inactive, whereas black was active. They lowered their sleeves and continued to watch the young girl quietly, waiting for her to absorb the revelation.

"Will he come back?" Once again sharp looks met her gaze, she had surprised them once more.

Her father answered this time, "yes – we believe so."

Hermione searched their faces, taking in every line and blemish. She wanted to know why they followed him, and she wanted to know that if he came back that she could kill her enemies as well. "Why do you support him?"

Her father and Mr. Malfoy smiled, and then they sat down on the armchairs that littered the study they were in. Motioning for her to sit opposite them she didn't hesitate.

Her father regarded her for a few seconds then he started speaking in his deep tones. "Blood loyalty. And no, we do not believe muggleborns are truly beneath us in ability – look at your mother, she was exceptionally gifted – blood loyalty is about the whole wizarding kind. About protecting our world, our way of life and our traditions. The threats muggleborns pose is not dirtying of blood, but rather their influx of muggle customs as well as the increasing threat of exposure."

Mr. Malfoy resumed the story when her father stopped for a breather. "Not that we don't use the whole 'dirty-blood' synopsis when it is fitting to do so… and well, there are certain purebloods that do believe muggleborns to be beneath us – but for us, it's mostly on a society level rather than on an ability level. We want one of two things, either muggleborn children must be absorbed into our world – excluding their parents – since infancy, or they must be excluded completely. Although that increases the likelihood of obscurus happening." Mr. Malfoy finished off with a slight sneer as if it was an old debate.

Her father once more resumed the explanation. "We want the same laws as MACUSA – that is the Magical Congress of the United States of America – they have this law that is called 'Rappaport's Law'. It enforces strict segregation between muggles and magical folk. It basically forbids any interaction between us. Not even marriage. We would propose taking any muggleborn magical infants and placing them with magical families to raise them, naturally obliviating their biological parents. It would be a win-win scenario then."

Hermione frowned; it was a lot of information to take in. She actually saw their point, and somehow her already festering hatred for Dumbledore's _side_ made her even more biased. She would follow this creed she already knew. "What is an obscurus?"

Mr. Malfoy and her father shared a dark look for a moment; once again it was her father that responded first. "It is a dark magical force that is released by an obscurial. Now, an obscurial is a magical child that's magic has been forcibly repressed. Mostly, by any forms of abuse. But not necessarily… the suppressed magic then manifests into a dark and parasitic force. It is a very dangerous and destructive force… uncontrollable. The obscurial usually dies eventually at young ages… but we know of at least one that made it into later teen years. The general consensus, though, we want to avoid obscurials from being created."

Hermione nodded in understanding, dark thoughts already swirling in her mind. She promised herself to research more on obscurials and their obscurus. But for now, she returned her attention to the matter of the Dark Lord. "Will the Dark Lord do it like you suggest? My research tells me he was on the single-minded route to remove all muggleborns –"

Both wizards nodded gravely at her question, Mr. Malfoy spoke in a sneering voice then. "Unfortunately our Dark Lord listened too ardently to some of his more fanatic followers – like my dear sister in law. Therefore, we need to be ready for his return and make sure we carefully whisper to him our convictions. It is the more sane and logical."

DMHG

It was as their visit with the Malfoy's drew to a close, that the three minors were summoned to the study on the last day. Hermione sat on the armchair between Draco and Euan, waiting on whatever they were going to be informed of. Draco whispered quietly over her to Euan, both reminiscing on what this meeting could possibly be for.

Finally, the door opened to allow the two adult wizards to enter. Mr. Malfoy and her father stationed themselves opposite them and regarded the three teenagers for a few seconds with slight smiles. The silence was broken with Mr. Malfoy, this time a very prominent smirk settled on his features.

"Alright children, I called you here because I need to impart some information – " Draco frowned at his father, obviously at a loss of what is going on, but Mr. Malfoy only continued with the same smirk. "This year some things will go on at Hogwarts… now, now, it will be of my own design, so no investigating or meddling."

Hermione didn't miss the message; she had to refrain from asking questions. Unlike the previous school year. So, she raised her eyes to meet the grey eyes of Mr. Malfoy squarely. He returned her gaze with a nod.

"Just remain together in groups. Concentrate on schoolwork. Hermione, maybe try and get Draco to at least match your grades? It shouldn't affect any of you, only muggleborns, but just for in case… keep to school rules this year."

"Father, what will it be? You have to tell us something... please father?" Draco's voice was almost whiny in his beseeching. Causing Hermione and Euan to lock eyes with eye-rolls.

As it was, Mr. Malfoy liked attention almost as much as his son; so it was all that was needed for him to elaborate with a flamboyant grin. "Well, I will say this… the last time this happened at Hogwarts a student had died. Naturally, I do not wish death, only some recognition of the posed threat of more and more muggles knowing about our world."

"Now, you kids understand? No interfering, keep to yourselves." Her father spoke firmly, she knew by now that it was the voice that brooks no argument.

And after her previous year, she had no qualms about following that order. Never would she try to help _Harry Potter_ , the decency she had that urged her to stop him months prior was firmly stamped out of her. The bullying that she had been enduring at his and his housemates hands would not be retaliated silently with anymore. So far her friends and housemates had been retaliating actively on her behalf, no more. Oh no, the Hermione that would return for the New Year would be a different one. She had been accused of being a bastard and no-good Slytherin – well, she will show them how bad she can be. And no-one will ever know it was her.

DMHG

Later that night, as she sat on her bed in her room – they had returned to their Manor earlier the evening – she once more stared out in front of her. Her candles were dowsed and the room in darkness, but darkness had become her friend. She sat staring at the wall as before, barely blinking or breathing.

Hermione avoided sleep, for sleep brought uncontrollable nightmares that left her sweating and screaming. It brought her mother back as a walking corpse, who would reach out her bloodied and shredded arm with gasping sounds. Glassy and inhuman eyes.

She preferred the waking memories for those she could control mostly.

At least they didn't bring her mother back as a zombie; the waking memories were true to fact. So she would sit in darkness every night, letting her memories have free reign. And while the memories rolled on the reel of her mind, she would whisper her promises to herself. "I hate Ronald Weasley… I hate Harry Potter… I hate Rubeus Hagrid and his illegal creatures… I hate Albus Dumbledore… I hate Gryffindor House –"


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: And so after my period of hiatus, I am back_ _J_

 _You can check my profile, I post notes about activity if any of you ever want to know why I am quiet etc._

 _Okay, this chapter is just to start off the second year, mostly a filler to set the tone. It's also to help me ease back into the story and writing in general._

 _And Thank you, everyone, for the favourites/follows and reviews; I can promise you that it was what inspired me to get motivated again._

 _Now; all the usual warnings of this story still applies… and remember, don't like = don't read._

 _This is un-beta'd – so mistakes are my own._

 _Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 15**

"And then he tackled Father! They had a real fight right there in Flourish and Blotts!" Hermione shook her head as Draco re-told the same story for the hundredth time. She had been there of course, but Draco had to tell every one of their other friends whenever he saw them. This time it was Pansy and Alex.

The opening feast went the same as the previous year, except for Hermione. She only ate her food because it was a necessity and helped o avoid conversation. The new school year did not bring her the same joy and excitement as with the rest, it only brought her memories and that burning anger. Rage constantly sweltering inside of her, festering to lick up and out of her.

As Draco went on chattering next to her, she studied the other students. Everyone was happy and excited and it irked her beyond measure. Her eyes landed on the Gryffindor table, she frowned in thought when she noticed the hated duo is not present. Turning to Draco she remarked on it, "where do you think Potter and Weasley is?"

Predictably it got his attention instantly. She watched as a malicious smirk formed on his features and a coldness cloak his eyes. Draco hated them just as much as she did, he blamed them as well for the death of her mother.

"I hope they got expelled." He deadpanned.

Hermione frowned, she didn't want them expelled. They had to be at Hogwarts so that she could make their lives a living hell. "No, they must remain here."

Draco looked at her in thought, he must have realised what she was thinking because she saw him nod at her before he resumed talking with the others'.

The feast finished soon afterwards and Hermione left the great Hall flanked by her brother and Draco; they took their support duties very seriously. They had just approached the stairs that went to the dungeons when Potter and Weasley stepped in front of them. Both boys instantly raised their wands at the duo but Harry only held up his hands to show he only wanted to talk.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him as he stepped toward her with apologetic eyes, "Granger – I just want to say I'm sorry… Sorry about your mum—"

Hermione interrupted him then, "Don't. Don't you dare, Potter. You killed her."

And with that she brushed past them and continued down to the dungeons, not giving them a chance to respond. She vaguely heard Draco sneeringly telling them to fuck off before they followed her down. Neither said anything to her on their way to their common room.

DMHG

As the other girls slept soundly that night, Hermione sat up in her bed and only watched the darkness as it pressed in on her. She loved it, basked in it. It was thick and palpable and made her feel wanted. She didn't sleep at all, only remaining the entire night sitting upright. Until the sun rose and lighted the water of the black lake an omniscient green that slowly flickered into their dormitory. Finally, she silently stood up and without a word, she padded to the bathroom where she took a shower in preparation for the day. She had a busy school year ahead.

DMHG

Hermione's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she listened to the howler that Weasley had received. So they got off once again… Interesting.

Draco howled out with his gleeful laughter as the woman's voice screeched across the hall for the whole of Hogwarts to hear. In fact, the whole Slytherin table was laughing at the spectacle. When the howler was done Hermione resumed eating her toast, thoughts running through her mind ceaselessly.

Hermione watched as Draco kept re-enacting Molly Weasley's voice as they trudged to their first lesson. It was obvious that he was in his element with the dire warning of Weasley putting another toe out of line. Hermione wasn't. She needed the hated duo in Hogwarts. Yet she wasn't worried about Draco, he talked big but knew what reality was. He won't try to get them expelled now that he knew she wanted them here.

Her attention was brought back to the class, they started off the year with double Transfiguration with Ravenclaw. Hermione looked blankly at McGonagall as she started explaining the principles of turning a live battle into a solitary object – a button in this case. As always she was fascinated with knowledge and listened intently. They spent some time practising and Hermione was satisfied when she managed to transfigure the beetle successfully within a few tries, right as McGonagall passed her table.

"Well done, Miss Granger." McGonagall nodded to her with a slight smile, Hermione saw the glint of sympathy in her eyes and instantly her momentary feeling of wellbeing evaporated. McGonagall was just another Gryffindor that thought a bit of sympathy and kind words can right every wrong. The epitome of what she wanted to destroy in the wizarding world.

With a forced grimace, Hermione locked her eyes with the Professor. "Granger-Fawley, actually. But Professor can just use Fawley now."

She watched as the Professor took in her expression, as the small smile slid from her face to be replaced by her frown instead. "Apologies Miss Gr – Fawley. I assumed you would prefer Granger."

Hermione kept the stiff smile in place, keeping the exchange on a superficial polite level. "I am proud to be a Granger Professor. But, I am legally Fawley now… And I am just as proud of that heritage as well. So, I prefer to be called by my legal name then."

McGonagall nodded at her then, "as you wish Miss Fawley." And with that, the stern Professor continued down the aisle of tables.

Draco quirked his eyebrow at her from his desk next to her, she only gave him a satisfied smirk in return. The name issue had been prominent in her thoughts over the summer, legally she was Fawley, and all paperwork and legalities would always bear that name till she took a husband. Yet she knew her father wouldn't begrudge her using Granger informally, as it was her mother's last name and what she was used to. So, she had wanted to remain Granger on the one side, as that was who she had been. And that was it, which was when she realised; it was who she _had_ been…

Hermione Granger wasn't anymore.

She had died the day her mother died. Hermione Granger was sunshine and smiles, green grass and trees with a mother who made her dance Ring 'o Rosies in the fields. Or at least it was what she had attempted to be. Now she was someone else, she was a girl who preferred the night, who watched shadows flit over the walls as she grimaced with thoughts of death and darkness.

Hermione Fawley; that was who she was now.

The professor seemed to avoid any direct communication with Hermione after that, she didn't even give her a glance once. Hermione knew that with her proclamation of taking, with pride, her father's name that she declared her siding with pure-blood supremacy. Or that was what they thought anyhow; she wanted them to think that. Her skin crawled momentarily as the Darkness within her flexed appreciatively with that thought.

DMHG

It was during lunch that Draco had a confrontation with Potter. They couldn't make it back for one day without the blond being able to resist the meddling Boy Who Lived… Hermione had to bite her cheeks in frustration with her friend. He had to learn to be more subtle…

She stood proudly next to him with Greg and Vincent flanking them, of course. She would always stand proud with her friend, even if she didn't agree with him. She would never gainsay him in front of other people, yet she could taste the metallic taste of blood in her mouth in her attempt to remain quiet. He had just finished telling Potter about Weasley wanting a signed photograph and seeing Weasley pulling out his wand when Hermione noted the new professor approaching.

"Run along now Potter, before I tell Professor Lockhart that Weasley had just pulled a wand on someone –" With that, she turned just in time to smile sweetly at the handsome new professor.

Normally Hermione liked Lockhart, but at this point in time, she didn't have much energy to invest in a crush. But it didn't mean she couldn't enjoy simpering a bit for the professor; especially if he was smiling at her as he was at that moment. She stood back to watch as he took over and enjoyed to see Potter flushing in embarrassment. She did take note that Lockhart seemed a bit more frivolous in real life than in his books. Hermione filed that piece of information for future reference.

"I didn't know you have the hots for that nansy – " Draco snickered at her as Hermione elbowed him while they walked to their next class. "I just think he is a great wizard… I Mean – " She waved the _Voyages with Vampires_ copy in front of his face to make him realise what made him so fascinating to her.

Instead, Draco just snickered at her again, "He is a ponce, Hermione."

With a huff and a flush Hermione instead stalked off to their History of Magic lesson without another word. Completely aware of Draco's laughter at her retreating back.

DMHG

That Saturday Hermione was woken by Pansy shaking her shoulder – non to gently – while irately calling to her. "Hermione… Hermione! Wake up –"

With a start, Hermione woke up and blinked stupidly at the scowling Pansy. Upon seeing the brunette was finally awake she stepped back with an eye roll. "Draco sent me to wake you."

"It is _early_ … what does he want?" Hermione mumbled while blinking her eyes to try and focus in the dim bedroom. Pansy huffed and shrugged, "I don't know. He has been bouncing around all morning. Quite annoying really…"

Hermione groaned but got out of bed all the same, following Pansy to the common room still in her pyjamas; seeing the other girl once more rolling her eyes at her lack of decorum. She only smirked at Pansy and continued on the way. The girls had barely entered the common room or Draco was by their side.

"So I got on the team! Marcus said he knows how I play – we have always played casually over the years – and therefore I was made seeker without the need for tryouts!" Hermione frowned at her friend as he chattered while she slumped into one of the armchairs. "Potter is going to wish he never played Quiditch after this year!"

With her own eye roll Hermione responded to her very excitable friend. "Uhm… won't the rest of the school think it's some sort of preferential treatment if you made team without tryouts?"

Draco smirked and sat down on the couch opposite her. "Well… I guess… But I won't really be able to do anything about it, especially as father has just personally delivered new brooms for the whole team. I honestly don't care – "

Hermione's eyes popped with surprise at his casual mention of the new brooms. "What new brooms Draco? Was this before or after you made team…"

Smirking the boy winked at her, "well it was after I owled him last night with the news… But let everyone think what they want because then they will know I get what I want either way."

Hermione laughed out loud, already knowing he doesn't care if others think he is a spoiled bully. "You are evil Draco Malfoy!"

"Why, thank you! I try to be –" Draco laughed with her now as Pansy mumbled about needing breakfast and disappearing out of the common room, leaving them momentarily alone. "To answer, it's the new _Nimbus Two Thousand and One._ Father bought them for the entire team, they are way better than even Potter's broom!"

Hermione frowned, what she knew about brooms and Quiditch was sorely lacking. She couldn't get the hype at all, and she had trouble with heights… well with _moving_ heights anyway. Seeing her frown made Draco laugh once more, he sometimes had to remember she didn't find Quiditch fun. She once told him over the summer that there was no logic in having a bunch of people flying after balls. He guessed she had a point, but in his view, you didn't need logic in everything. Sometimes you just needed some mindless fun.

"Come on Draco, let me get dressed then we grab some breakfast." Hermione stood up as she spoke and grinned at him as she sprinted to her dormitory quickly, the sound of her rumbling stomach following her.

DMHG

It was early afternoon that found Hermione once again forced to leave a preferred activity – reading this time – to follow Draco. They were going to their first practise session, and he insisted she come along to give moral support. She knew it was more so that he could show off and hoping she will simper for him like his loyal fan club. Too bad she was his friend and not one of his groupies. Hermione walked a bit behind the team along with Vincent and Greg when they were halted due to some alteration with Flint and the Gryffindors. With a furrowed brow she walked to the front in time to hear Draco telling the weasel about admiring the new brooms his father bought them.

This time Hermione didn't mind Draco's overzealous behaviour, she instead found herself snickering along with Vincent and Greg at the flushing faces of various Gryffindors. Weasley was actually gaping at the brooms like a buffoon, making the rest of the Slytherin team laugh out loud. It was as Draco was telling them about a museum maybe buying off their _Cleansweeps_ that the Gryffindor Patil stepped forward to declare about Draco buying his way onto the team.

Seeing the blond' s face contorting and knowing him well enough to realise he was going to react without thinking, Hermione quickly stepped forward. "Well, at least Draco got asked to join after years of play history known to Flint. Unlike Potter who had zero playing history along with zero fair tryouts."

The Patil scowled at that before retorting, "Well everyone could see that day that he _obviously_ had talent!"

"He only caught one stupid remembral. Why so defensive anyway? Hoping to get a signed autograph as well Patil?" With that the Slytherins all laughed again, Weasley though took offence and pulled his wand out. Hermione had barely enough time to hear him telling her she would pay before a loud bang went off. Frowning she realised the wand Weasley was holding, was spellotaped and had obviously backfired. To their morbid fascination, they saw as he began vomiting up slugs.

There was nothing for it. She laughed. For the first time in months, she genuinely laughed.

She had to thank the weasel for that. Her laughter was just dying off as she realised the Gryffindors made their way off the pitch while mumbling. The Slytherin laughter stopped as she made her way to the stands with Greg and Vincent to watch Draco practice. Suddenly she had a lot more interest in this years' Quiditch Cup.

"Do you reckon Draco will beat Potter? I mean… Potter is – is –" Greg flushed somewhat as he stumbled to try and get his words out.

Taking pity on him, Hermione smiled at her mostly quiet friend. "Yes, Potter is good. Never be ashamed to give the devil his due. Otherwise, you underestimate him and then you will be knocked down."

Vincent looked like he wanted to disagree with her on principle for Draco's sake. Yet he must have realised the truth as he closed his mouth again to glare at nothing in particular. Greg, on the other hand, seemed relieved that he hadn't crossed some line of betrayal. "As for beating Potter, I honestly do not know. Not yet anyway as I have only seen Draco play casually over the summer."

Greg and Vince both nodded at that, and without speaking further they turned back to watch as the team took to the air at that moment. Draco passed over their heads and waved at her, she gave him a small smile in return with a little wave. He looked happy with that show of support from her as he flew off with a big grin.

DMHG

The month of September rolled into October. There weren't any more confrontations with Potter or Weasley as they were simply too busy and exhausted with the increased load of schoolwork. The war between the two houses was ongoing still, Hermione lost count how many times she was called a bastard and how many attempted hexes was thrown her way. She specifically started to look like a walking corpse as she suffered from sleep deprivation as well. Draco was nagging her about her sunken eyes and pallid skin ceaselessly, luckily he couldn't see her weight loss yet as the loose school robes covered her body adequately. But the girls in her dormitory knew… their knowing gases would settle on her often during the day. Luckily they had the informal rule of not mentioning anything unmentionable. What was unmentionable? Well; anything personal really.

The air got colder and colder so as the end of October rolled in they were mostly already wearing proper winter gear. The Halloween feast was coming up and with it the usual Malfoy ball. Only this year the adults requested they remain at Hogwarts; the message an ominous _'we wouldn't want you, children, to miss anything that might be important –'_

With a shared look at her brother, they realised it had something to do with whatever it was that their father was busy with along with Mr Malfoy. It was obvious by the mixed expression on Draco's face while he was reading his letter that he must have gotten the same message. Hermione found her curiosity flaring up the slightest bit. She was a naturally curious person, but at least she knew to not let her curiosity lead her to actually meddle. So she contented herself to wait for whatever to happen and then see what it was all about. She was learning patience.

DMHG

The Halloween feast was magnificent, she could openly admit it without shame. The food was good and her friends and brother was welcome company. For a while, she forgot about the constant memory of her mother and actually smiled genuinely at various moments. Her brother sat next to her with Draco on her other side, she felt like a cherished sister and friend. All who she needed at that moment to complete her feeling of contentment was her father. Then she would have all three her favourite men in her life. Instead, she contented herself with the few spontaneous hugs she received from her brother and boyish grins Draco flashed her intermittently.

It was a good night.

They had just left the main hall when the student body came to a standstill and mutters travelled through the crowd. Scowling Hermione made her way to the front, followed closely by Draco and her brother. She quickly took in Potter and Weasley standing with Chang, behind them Mrs Norris was hanging seemingly dead. But it was the writing on the wall that really caught all the attention.

Draco stepped forward and repeated what was written, sneering at Potter. Hermione rolled her eyes, she didn't have anything against muggleborns, her mother had been muggleborn, yet she remained quiet as she knew what it was about. She also somehow knew this had something to do with Mr Malfoy and her father. This is part of whatever they had cooked up.

The professors were leading the trio away before they resumed their trek to the dungeons, all the while excitable chatter surrounded her as her housemates wondered what was going on. Hermione immediately went to her normal armchair when they entered the common room, waiting for Draco to sit down. Euan also joined them along with Alex and Pansy.

"Seeing your smirking faces I deduce you know what's going on?" Alex didn't waste time as they sat down as well.

Euan smiled at his friend knowingly, "we only know that we must not interfere and that we must let things run its course."

Alex nodded at Pansy, obviously having their own silent communication. Hermione remained quiet, letting her brother handle this. She was glad that Draco also followed her lead. With that Pansy met her eyes and nodded. "So, _we_ know nothing and _we_ keep our heads down this year."

Hermione nodded in return as an answer to Pansy's statement. It was what it was after all. They remained to talk for a few more minutes before everyone left to their dormitories; the main topic on all of their minds being _what exactly is the Chamber of Secrets_?

Hermione was lying in her bed later and staring up at the dark canopy of her bed, thoughts whirling about what exactly she had read about it in her _Hogwarts a History_. She knew there was a part in the book for it, yet she just couldn't recall it at that time. As luck would have it, she had also left her copy at the manor to make space for all her Lockhart books.

She remained awake long into the night as she was apt to these months. Darkness constantly awake and swirling within her at these quiet times at night. Hermione loved the feeling of it. It made her feel alive in ways she had never felt before, she was aware that she could do anything she wanted with the help of the Darkness. She closed her eyes and visualised her goal. The maimed bodies lying stretched out before her in rows. Her little list of names had grown in the last two months; it now included the names of students who called her bastard and hexed her. She knew the list would only grow with each passing year.

DMHG

Death glanced at his companion as they watched the young witch finally drift off to sleep. "It will be a bloodbath if her list gets longer…"

Fate smiled wistfully as she feathered a kiss on Hermione's forehead, planting a dream that would foster seeds for a certain idea. "It is as I said… this reality is so much more fun… tragic, yes. But fun…"

Death chuckled, he wondered how anyone could ever think he was evil? Fate, now Fate is fickle… and that makes her so much more dangerous than he could ever hope to be. "Will there ever be any redemption for your little pet project?"

Fate smiled again as she took hold of his hand, "no. It will not be the path for her in this reality – maybe we can explore that path in the next reality?"

Death shook his head as they walked away hand in hand, off to move a few more pieces to their next places on the chess board. "Let us visit little Ginerva… She is sure to wonder what happened to her." Fate smiled once more as she spoke, while Death dutifully escorted her to the Gryffindor tower.

Fate and Death stood next to the bed and looked down at the sleeping redhead. Her robes were splattered with red paint and with a grin Death watched as Fate bent over to whisper in the girl's ear and then plant another kiss on this young witch's forehead. Standing up she looked down almost mournfully. "It's sad to use an innocent… Well, an innocent in this reality."

Death rolls his eyes, "Don't tell me that this poor girl is also on your radar?" Fate giggled and swiped a delicate hand at his arm. "Of course! She has such fire! Oh, the games I can play with her in different realities …"

Fate stared down wistfully at the small body, then she wiped a stray strand of hair from her freckled face. "But not yet sweety… let you be the innocent once more in this reality…"

As they left the dormitory Death smiled with the thought of the next death. It was close, he could almost feel it. As if sensing his elation, Fate took his hand with a smile once more; "yes my beloved… almost."

And together they swirled away into the mist of the night.


End file.
